Irish Life GAA Healthy Club Programme
The Irish Life GAA Healthy Club Programme is the GAA’s flagship programme to promote health and wellbeing in Ireland outside of its official game’s structures. It aims to support GAA clubs and communities to achieve locally defined health and wellbeing goals that also reflect the national policy agenda for sport, physical activity, mental health, and preventative health. The programme sets out to help GAA clubs explore how they support the holistic health of their members and the communities they serve.
It has the following three aims:
- Initiate new health-promoting activities that directly address local needs
- Mainstream best practice healthy behaviours across the core business (Gaelic Games) of the club (e.g. around alcohol, diet, substances and mental health)
- Provide a framework for formalising existing health promotion activities that are in line with the programme goals.
The programme has 6 health and wellbeing priority areas:
Physical Activity
Diversity and Inclusion
Community Development
Mental Fitness
Substance Use and Gambling
Healthy Eating
The programme supports clubs to:
- Identify what they are already doing well,
- Identify areas for improvement, and empower them to ensure that everyone who engages with their club benefits in a health-enhancing way, be they players, officers, coaches, parents, supporters, or members of their community.
How to get involved:
The Irish Life GAA Healthy Club Programme operates off a two-year cycle. Clubs have 18 months to complete the criteria and subsequently achieve either Foundation, Silver or Gold Healthy Club status.
Applications to join the programme will open in Autumn 2025
Before applying we recommend interested clubs:
- Discuss joining the programme with their club executive.
- Link in with their County Health and Wellbeing Committee for local support.
- Check out Irish Life GAA Healthy Clubs Programme | Tobar for detailed information on the programme format.
- Access Healthy Club Officer training on learning.gaa.ie through the club officer training programme.
- Speak to clubs in your county who are already involved in the programme
Laois Healthy Clubs
Downloads
| Document | Published | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Healthy Clubs Report Final | 2021 | |
| Healthy Clubs Executive Summary | 2021 | |
| Healthy Clubs Infographic | 2021 |
Club & Canva Templates
Looking to promote your Healthy Club on social media, but don't have any graphics to use? Don't worry, we've got you covered! Click on a social media graphic below, and customise it to suit your club in Canva:
Want to Join?
If your club is interested in becoming a Healthy Club, please contact
Laois
Health & Wellbeing Chair
Leona Conroy
chair.hwc.laois@gaa.ie
