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PARTICIPANTS were provided with an 'unrivalled day of energy, positivity and fun' at the 2024 Sports Direct Gaelic4Mothers&Others National Festival Day on Saturday September 7. Another spectacular event showcased the very best of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association's thriving initiative. In May of this year, The Federation of Irish Sport 7th annual Irish Sport Industry awards saw the Sports Direct Gaelic4Mothers&Others programme honoured with the 'Best Initiative to Promote Women in Sport & Physical Activity.' And in August, Sports Direct announced a three-year extension to its sponsorship of the programme. The number of participating clubs has risen from 220 to over 500 in the space of three years of the partnership, with 81 new clubs established in 2024 alone. Almost 3,000 women made the trip to the Naomh Mearnóg and St. Sylvester's clubs in Dublin for the National Festival Day. G4M&O Sports Direct Gaelic4Mothers&Others Festival Day 138 Gaelic4Mothers&Others clubs from all over the country were registered for the chance to sample the unique atmosphere of festival day, which will also provide the opportunity to get together and play games in a non-competitive and fun environment. Teams registered from 10.15am, with the eagerly-anticipated mass- warm up scheduled for 11.20am on the Naomh Mearnóg Astroturf. Games on 23 pitches commenced at 12pm and after the final games threw in at 3.30pm, live music was the order of the day! A silent disco and the Sports Direct zone were other huge attractions, while the 2FM Roadcaster was on site from 12pm, with popular afternoon presenters Roz Purcell and Emma Power bringing a flavour of the event into homes across the country! The LGFA was fully subscribed once again for this event, with a large number of teams on a waiting list. The Sports Direct Gaelic4Mothers&Others programme is an innovative way to introduce mothers and other women to Ladies Gaelic Football in a fun, non- competitive and social environment. www.ladiesgaelic.ie | PEIL ANNUAL 2024 | 17