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Sport

21st Jun 2018

Sports clubs throughout Ireland invited to apply for first ever National Lottery Good Causes Awards

Rudi Kinsella

lotto winner

This seems like a really good idea.

Irish Olympic medalist Rob Heffernan was on hand to help launch the inagural National Lottery Good Causes Awards on Thursday, awards which will honour the work and achievements of thousands of projects, clubs and individuals around the country.

There will be seven categories, sport being one of them, that will recognise the difference that National Lottery-funded projects have made.

Nearly 30 cent of every 1 spent on the lotto goes back to Good Causes all over the country, which adds up to roughly 619,000 every single day. Not too shabby.

Hundreds of GAA and football clubs across the country have benefited from the funding since the National Lottery was set up in 1987.

The winners from each category, which will have county and regional finals, will be announced at the Gala Awards Dinner on Saturday 3 November.

The seven categories are:

  • Sport
  • Health and Well Being
  • Arts/Culture
  • Heritage
  • Community
  • Youth Affairs.
  • Irish Language (Special award to be announced at the Awards final)

Each category winner will receive €10,000 and the overall Good Cause of the Year will receive an additional €25,000. You’d take it…

Olympic bronze medallist Rob Heffernan spoke about the benefits of the campaign, saying: “As someone who has benefited hugely from the support of National Lottery Good Causes funding during my career, I am delighted to be associated with these important new Awards.

“I can see the impact of National Lottery funding all over the country.”

Individuals, clubs, community projects and organisations who received Good Causes funding in the years 2014, 2015 and 2016 are eligible to apply. Applications for the Awards are open now and people can enter and check whether they can apply here.

For more information, here’s Rob Heffernan discussing the launch:

Clip via Premier Lotteries Ireland