Football board embarks on novel recruitment campaign

Mayo LGFA has launched a county-wide call to action inviting parents, families, supporters and community members to contribute their time, skills and enthusiasm to the Mayo Ladies Gaelic Football Association.

With almost 5,000 playing members across the county, Mayo LGFA is one of the most significant women’s sporting bodies in Connacht. Yet it says the weight of running the association has fallen on too few volunteers, leaving critical work undone and a risk of burnout for those who do turn up.

In attempt to address this burning issue, Mayo LGFA has launched Meitheal – a new model for volunteering in women’s Gaelic football.

“For far too long, too few have been doing too much — and at the same time not enough — with too little, explains Sinead Stagg, the chairperson of Mayo LGFA. “For the thousands of girls and women across Mayo who love Gaelic football, and for the club communities that sustain them, that has to change. We are asking people to give what they can, for one season. If enough people do a little, we will not only build a stronger association for our players, we will change how volunteering works.” 

At the heart of the Mayo LGFA Meitheal – an Irish word rooted in the tradition of community coming together to share work – is a reimagining of how fixtures, the single biggest factor affecting every player in the county, are planned and delivered. Rather than relying on a small number of overextended volunteers to manage the entire process, Mayo LGFA has broken the work down into clearly defined, manageable roles that can fit around the realities of modern life.

According to Helen O’Hara, the vice-chairperson of Mayo LGFA, no prior LGFA experience is required for most roles, “just willingness, a little time or a skill to share”, and that volunteering should not be a burden but something that can fit into someone’s life, enrich it and connect the person to their community.

“Behind our 5,000 players stand many thousands more: parents, grandparents, friends, neighbours and supporters who care deeply about the girls and women in our association. The Meitheal is an invitation to all of them to be part of something meaningful, on their own terms.” 

Pointing out that Mayo is the county which gave Ireland its first female president, its first astronaut, and the all-time top scorer in the history of the LGFA, the organisers say the launch of the Meitheal draws upon Mayo’s proud tradition of ambition and achievement and that if a new model of community-led volunteering can succeed anywhere, it is here.

Anyone wishing to find out more about the Mayo LGFA Meitheal, explore available roles, or register their interest is encouraged to visit mayolgfa.com or follow Mayo LGFA on social media.