Latest LOI Cairdeas Cup to be held on Sunday
The latest League of Ireland Cairdeas Cup Festival will take place on Sunday, 16 November at the National Indoor Arena in Abbotstown where players from twelve League of Ireland clubs will don their colours and proudly represent them.
Twelve League of Ireland Clubs will be represented as Bohemians, Cork City, Drogheda United, Derry City, Waterford, Finn Harps, Bray Wanderers, Sligo Rovers, Shelbourne, St. Patrick's Athletic, Wexford and current Champions Dundalk are all set to take part this Sunday.
The LOI Cairdeas Cup festival was formed in 2024 and is a national football event specifically for players with Down Syndrome. It’s five-a-side with futsal balls and rules and dedicated Coaches and Volunteers around the country have been working with the players in preparation for the big event.
Families have also provided great support with a parent of a Bohemians’ player expressing his admiration of the programme saying: “the kids live for it every week!”
Sligo Rovers Football & Social Responsibility Officer, Jamie Murphy who was the key enabler in setting up the Sligo Rovers Cairdeas Cup team said: “It’s a privilege to be involved with a group of players like this because that’s what football should be all about, trying to make sure you can include as many people as possible from as many different communities as possible”
The Cairdeas Cup is a bi-annual event which has now become an established part of the League of Ireland season. There are now over 120 players proudly representing their local LOI clubs in the Cairdeas Cup.
League of Ireland, Director, Mark Scanlon, commented: “This is without doubt one of the best days in the League of Ireland season in terms of community, friendship, fair play and the pure joy of playing football! All of the players proudly represent their League clubs and are a huge credit to their coaches, families and communities.”
Cairdeas is an Irish word that primarily means friendship, but can also signify goodwill, alliance, and kinship. It’s used to describe the bond between friends and this is the essence of the Cairdeas Cup.
