Walking Football – turning back time for the newest cohort of League of Ireland players
Last Saturday saw the launch of the first League of Ireland Walking Football Festival.
Players with an average age exceeding 65 years donned the colours of their favourite clubs to participate in an event which prioritised physical and mental health and well-being and social interaction over the cut and thrust of competition.
Walking Football has been growing rapidly in Ireland with many grassroots groups forming countrywide. Indeed, with Ireland’s growing population of older adults, Walking Football is now seen as an ideal vehicle to promote health and well-being and combat social isolation among this ever-expanding demographic.
Many of the groups feature male and female players including former Irish International Linda Gorman who enjoys playing weekly with the Bohemians’ Walking Football group and who was a key member of the Bohs’ team which competed last Saturday. Several other females also participated in the festival in playing and managerial capacities for clubs such as Cork City FC, Wexford FC, Waterford FC and eventual winners, Shelbourne FC.
With the advent of LOI clubs employing Football & Social Responsibility (FSR) Officers in recent times, one of the programmes they keenly promote is Walking Football and as such, nine LOI Clubs were ready to participate in this first LOI festival.
Clubs have also acknowledged the support of agencies such as Healthy Ireland, Age & Opportunity and various Local Authorities who have been instrumental in helping the FSR Officers establish their roles and promote and develop programmes such as Walking Football.
On the pitch, the action was lively with 36 matches played and age-old club rivalries being played out by an older generation of protagonists. Indeed, some clubs also featured former LOI players lending that additional touch of class to the games.
Although the overall winning club was Shelbourne FC, the real winners were every club participating and players renewing or forming new friendships and social networks.
League of Ireland FSR Manager Derek O’Neill said: “This was our first LOI Walking Football festival and it was great to see the energy and enthusiasm generated among this group of players, not only on the pitch but in the social interaction off pitch. We had players in their 50s, 60s 70s and even some 80-year-olds playing today and it goes to show that football is still playable and enjoyable no matter what age you are! It’s an amazing way to maintain physical and mental health and the players today are testament to the power of the beautiful game to create and build important social networks.”
One of the most senior players on the day at 80 years of age was Aidan O’Toole of Bray Wanderers who said; “I once played for Bray Wanderers against Bohemians in Dalymount Park when I was 17 and I was probably one of the youngest to play for Bray – now at 80, I’m probably the oldest which is unique in itself! I am thankful and grateful that I can still feel confident about playing at my age. I look forward every Tuesday to playing with my new circle of friends at the Carlisle Grounds and thank all those responsible for initiating the idea including the FAI for backing this inaugural LOI Walking Football event which was a huge success and well organised and enjoyed by all.”
