Ireland Lights Up Postponed until Further Notice

UPDATE

Unfortunately, the Ireland Lights Up Campaign has been postponed until further notice due to the current pandemic.

As the current escalation of the situation with the pandemic has led to a number of strengthened messages from Government as the week has progressed including stricter restrictions it has been decided to postpone the implementation of ‘Ireland Lights Up’ as part of Operation Transformation.  In consultation with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht and Sport, it was agreed that it would be very important to adhere very strictly to the Government Guidelines consistently across all of sport. Watch this space for further details and updates. Stay Safe! 

'Ireland Lights Up' walking campaign returns in January 2021, in partnership with the GAA and Operation Transformation. This year other sporting organisations, Athletics Ireland, Cricket Ireland, Hockey Ireland, FAI and IRFU, will join the GAA to ensure that 'Ireland Lights Up' by turning on their floodlights during the 8 week broadcast of Operation Transformation which returns to our screens on 6th January 2021.

The app is available for download NOW on the App Store and Google Play:

Club Registration  

'Ireland Lights Up' walking campaign returns in January 2021, in partnership with the GAA and Operation Transformation. This year other sporting organisations, Athletics Ireland, Cricket Ireland, Hockey Ireland, FAI and IRFU will join the GAA to ensure that 'Ireland Lights Up' by turning on their floodlights during the 8 week broadcast of Operation Transformation which returns to our screens on 6th January 2021.

Over 400 GAA clubs participated in 2020 with over 120,000 walkers recorded. Faced with the pandemic, this Ireland Lights Up is about providing a safe walking experience for as many people as possible - particularly the most vulnerable in our communities - while adhering to public health guidelines.

Book your space to walk at a local registered club or venue, through the new GIW App from Thursday the 7th of Jan! The app will regularly add clubs and venues near you on a daily basis; be sure to re-check if your local club has registered and then just sign up!

Clubs participating will open their gates each evening of the week for the duration of the campaign from Monday 11th January to Sunday 28th February 2021 and select suitable evening or day time options. The registration feature on the App will not be live until January 7th, so remember to keep checking!

Please note that due to the current restrictions in respect to Covid-19, NO walking groups are permitted to attend venues and walkers should only walk within their own family unit, or with a person/s within their social bubble. Physical distance should be maintained throughout the walk. No walkers should attend a venue unless they have registered through the GIW App, this will provide information for contact tracing and insurance purposes.

Clubs that complete the registration process and adhere to the necessary criteria will be covered by Get Ireland Walking's insurance for all walk leaders and participants. However, irrespective of GAA membership status, leaders and participants are not covered by the GAA Injury Benefit Fund for this initiative. 

To participate, clubs must comply with certain criteria please read here.

Every Step Counts

This year the MyLife app from Irish Life Financial Services is teaming up with the GAA’s Community & Health department to create a challenge incentive for clubs and community members to support their health and wellbeing during Ireland Lights Up in 2021. 

The MyLife “Every Step Counts” challenge will ask each club and their members to collectively walk 4,000 Km’s*, which is approximately the distance around Ireland!

The challenge will be split across the four provinces with each club who reaches the target included in a prize draw.

Full details on the challenge and prizes can be found here.

All GAA Clubs can get involved in the challenge, to register your clubs participation please select the MyLife “Every Step Counts” Challenge during your registration for Ireland Lights Up.

The MyLife team will be in contact once your club registers its interest in the challenge as part of the registration process on this page.

Any queries regarding registration please email support@mylife.irishlife.ie

*This is the estimated walking distance of the circumference of Ireland