Update Charity 5k Run
- May 30,2020
Charity 5k #RefsOnTheRun
May 29th 2020
Just like players, coaches & parents alike our referees have been missing football since our Dublin LGFA club fixture programme came to an abrupt halt on the 13th of March last due to the health emergency caused by COVID-19.
Usually at this time of year, our competitive juvenile leagues would be finishing up ready to take their break with schools out for summer.
Our non competitive games for girls U8 to U12 would be coming into their final stretch of fixtures while our adult season would have been in full swing with league and championship competitions well underway. Nothing beats football on a long summer evening.
Instead an eery silence hovers over our playing fields with doors closed firmly on club facilities right across our the County and indeed beyond.
Our referees like everyone else involved in the LGFA were at a loose end with nothing to train for and no activity to look forward too for the foreseeable future.
So, two of our officials, Paul McLoughlin and Simon Redmond came up with the idea to get our band of referees active again. A charity event, in the form of a 5k run, walk or cycle. A task that referees could do individually, in their own time and at a pace that suited their respective fitness levels.
The event would give the members of the referees group a purpose, an incentive to keep working on their fitness but more importantly an opportunity to engage with one another, have a bit of craic and banter, unite again.
Today, Saturday May 30th our referees group came together although still very much apart adhering to social distancing guidelines to run, walk and cycle for the wonderful charity that is St Francis Hospice.
The pictures they submitted to us, told its own story as we shared in their fun, banter and friendship, while at the same time raising much needed funds for a wonderful charity who like many others was affected financially by the arrival of COVID-19 to our shores.
COVID-19 hit in other ways too. Well known Fingallians GAA club referee, Derek McKittrick was due to walk his Daughter Nicola up the aisle today. But like many others her wedding has been postponed due to the pandemic.
Instead, Derek ran his 5k early this morning and posted a video on line encouraging and supporting his fellow refs ahead of their runs, an example of the comradeship within the refs group on what had to have been an emotional day for Derek and the entire McKittrick family.
So hats off to the men and women who took part in today’s event and a big thank you to everyone who donated. As I write the Go Fund Me fund is currently stands at €4767.00
The page will remain open for donations until Monday June 1st please donate if you can and hopefully we can hit the €5k milestone.
LINK to Go Fund page ⬇️
https://www.gofundme.com/f/dublin-lgfa-refs?