The following changes to the return to activity guidelines are being made after recommendations from this morning’s Covid-19 Advisory Committee. These changes were subsequently endorsed by the GAA, the Camogie Association and the LGFA.

This week

• Open pitches for Adult training next Wednesday, June 24^th. 
• Open for Minor and below from Saturday, June 27^th.
• Both of the above on a non-contact basis and on the understanding that players and all participants have completed the eLearning module and are following the control measures in place (health questionnaire etc).
• On the basis of a maximum of 15 players in a designated area of the field (26 Counties) and 10 players in a designated area of the field (6 Counties).
• Coaching numbers for underage teams to be consistent with Code of Behaviour.

From June 29^th

• Allow contact training and challenge games for all from Monday, June 29^th (26 Counties).
• We await guidance from the NI Executive in relation to 6 Counties – non-contact training in the numbers outlined above in the interim.
• We also await clarification on what will constitute a close contact versus a casual contact.
• Restriction on participants-only attending training sessions to be relaxed from June 29^th – subject to government-specified maximum of 200 people in the ground. 
• Allow Club Fixtures from Friday July 17^th.
• No change to inter-county dates (Sept 14th for training; competitions to start on Oct 17th as planned).
• All control measures for players, coaches and other team personnel (completion of health questionnaire, eLearning education etc) is to remain in place until advised otherwise; dressing rooms to remain closed until July 20^th
• The Advisory Committee is considering the position in relation to other GAA buildings (such as Club bars that are serving food, Gyms, Handball alleys etc). Guidance will be provided in this context before June 29^th.

Leitrim GAA Management Committee has decided and informed its clubs that its Coaching and Games Department will not proceed with the organisation and running of the 2020 Kellogg’s Cúl Camps. The reason for this decision is exclusively around concerns for the safeguarding of health for all that exists in the current COVID era.

While this is disappointing news for the clubs of the county who would have been the hosting venues for camps and ultimately for those who would have wished to participate, the decision is made in greater health interests of all concerned. Anybody who had previously booked on a Cúl Camp will be contacted directly via email from the GAA around the various options that are available to them at this stage regarding refunds. Any parent who wishes to purchase the 2020 Kellogg’s Cúl Camp gear may do so via Kellogg’s Cúl Camp website from next week forward.

If an individual club wishes to take on the responsibility to proceed with a Cúl Camp, later this summer, it may make a decision to do so, once it is compliant with National Cúl Camp Policy, has ensured that all of the issues that need to be addressed in the current health and safety protocol have been complied with and that it is signed off on by the Club and the County Committee and ensures that it run in accordance with the current guidelines. The County Coaching and Games Department will be available to give any advice or training of coaches that may be required by the club to set up such a Cúl camp, but will not run or supervise any such camp as would have been the case in our county in previous years.

In the meantime, we are confident that a programme of underage activity will be organised through CCC in accordance with the Return to Play Protocols, that will get us through the summer, and the Coaching and Games Department Personnel will be available to assist in the advice and delivery of any coaching programme that clubs may require advice on as they plan for return to play.

The Leitrim Observer, over the past few weeks, has been building up to the readers’ selection of the Leitrim Dream Team 2000-2020. The selection has been narrowed down to three players for each of the 15 positions and polling closes on Friday, June 12 at 5pm. This venture, in association with Leitrim GAA, is sure to arouse much debate and if you want to have your say you may access full details here

The GAA continues to monitor closely the ongoing pandemic and the Government’s roadmap relating to the relaxation of restrictions.

The Association notes that we remain in Phase One and await an update about the possible move to Phase Two on June 8, as outlined by the authorities.

Should the country move to Phase Two as planned, GAA Clubs will be able to re-open designated walking tracks on June 8, subject to engagement with Croke Park around a facilities management plan.

We do not envisage a return to training in small groups in Phase Two and pitches and playing areas are to remain closed. However, as per the government roadmap, this may be reviewed in Phase Three.

The GAA can also confirm that it will publish its Return to Safe Activity Document when the government signals that the country has moved to the second phase of its plan.

This document will require approval from the government’s own expert group on Return to Sport, which we continue to work with. This group currently considers Gaelic games a ‘Phase 4’ sport.

Progress has also been made in re-configuring the 2020 GAA Kelloggs’ Cúl Camps and subject to the country moving onto the next phase of its recovery, we will provide more details about this initiative.

The GAA has stuck rigidly to the government’s plan and dates from the outset of this outbreak and will continue to do so, taking advice from medical experts and our own Advisory Committee.

We re-affirm our position that no one is keener to return to games and general games-related activity but this will only be considered when it is acceptable to do so to maximise the safety and well-being of our players, members and wider society.

It’s been a week since #LeitrimGAASupportingOthers brought together many Leitrim Players, current and past county players, club players, supporters young and older, female and male alike, right across the globe in unity to raise money for very worthy causes. What commenced as an initiative and was driven by the current Leitrim Senior Football Team and Management became very much a team effort, with a vigorous media campaign leading into the weekend and the intensity of that campaign drove the message home to such a degree that the initial €10k target was more than doubled by this weekend and has concluded at €20,415!

The organising committee and Leitrim GAA is really indebted to all who made contributions to this cause and you will be pleased to know that we will be making a donation of €5k to each of Pieta House and North West Stop with the remaining balance being presented to Sláinte 2020. The two Irish organisations, Pieta House and North West Stop provide an excellent service in the provision of help to people who are facing mental health challenges and we appreciate the efforts they make to help those in need. Sláinte 2020, is New York based and has only recently been formed in response to the chronic need that is among the Irish in New York as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

After what has turned out to be a memorable campaign, we again thank all for their effort, sacrifice and donations to these worthy causes and thank all the people behind the scenes, too numerous to mention, who made this happen, in all aspects of the promotion and coverage received both in the lead up to and in the aftermath.

As promised there were three pieces of Leitrim gear, including a signed jersey to be raffled among those who made donations, and this raffle will take place on Tuesday night at 8pm.

The final word on this goes to the main beneficiaries of this fundraiser, namely the crisis-stricken Irish people in New York, and on behalf of the organising committee of Sláinte 2020, we have a message from JP Clarke’s Saloon, McClean Avenue, Yonkers, which includes Caitríona and Seamus Clarke, Main Leitrim Team Sponsors and Lisa Sorohan, Drumshanbo and Stephen Maguire, Drumreilly.

Míle Buíochas ó chroí do gach éinne.