To mark the occasion of Sligo Rovers hosting Celtic at the Showgrounds this Wednesday, October 9, Celtic FC Foundation and the community outreach team at Rovers are announcing the launch of a new strand of our Ability Counts project.

This project will offer sports participation and learning opportunities to people with Down’s Syndrome, additional Support Needs/Special Education needs and neurodiverse children and young people.

Celtic FC Foundation has been active in Ireland for a number of years offering inclusive sports through the Ability Counts project in Dublin, Derry, Donegal and Mayo.

This is the first project of its type that the Foundation has delivered in Sligo and it extends the Foundation’s presence in the town and the county, which currently builds on the Community Games participation programme.

Sligo Rovers has recently launched its own programme focused on disability sport as part of the club community outreach programme and have built relationships with parents, participants and local organisations as part of that process.

This new partnership between Sligo Rovers and Celtic FC Foundation will enhance the offer of disability sports locally – with coaches from both organisations working together to deliver football, multi-sports, physical health sessions and educational activities that will demonstrate how Ability Counts.

CEO of Sligo Rovers, Andrew Feakins said: “Community engagement and equality of access and opportunity is a cornerstone of our diverse activities at Sligo Rovers FC’s football social responsibility.

“The Ability Counts project will form a cornerstone of our portfolio of initiatives that will directly impact a wide range of individuals within a football concept and in general development and learning in Sligo.

"We are proud to be a partner in this programme and the link with Celtic FC Foundation offers us increased learning and development opportunities as a team and brings a fresh sense of purpose and stature to our work in the community.

“I look forward to seeing the Ability Counts programme in action and the continued expansion of our joint offering with Celtic FC Foundation to local communities.”

Chief Executive of Celtic FC Foundation, Tony Hamilton said: “We are delighted to be launching a new strand to Ability Counts in Sligo, building on the excellent work we have already carried out in Ireland.

“Ireland will forever be in Celtic’s DNA and we are fully committed to ensuring the Foundation continues to make a positive difference to the lives of people who are in need, right across the country."

Celtic Football Club of course has such a strong and proud Irish heritage. It is fantastic that the club is making another visit to Ireland to face Sligo Rovers and already Celtic FC Foundation has a strong presence in Ireland through a number of initiatives.

Community Games Programme

In Ireland, we’ve launched three weekly football-based programmes in Mayo and Sligo, specifically targeting DEIS schools (schools catering to low-income families). This includes girls-only projects and end-of-year tournaments, reaching 300 young people per week.

Holiday Projects for Young People

Our Community Games Holiday Project also provide free access to activities for young people and families facing poverty across Sligo, Mayo, and Derry. We’ve also introduced a bespoke project for the Traveller community in Mayo.

Ability Counts Ireland

Our Ability Counts Ireland project supports 100 young people with additional support needs across Mayo, Sligo, Derry, and Donegal. One of our proudest achievements is the success of a team from Donegal, who recently won an Ability Counts football tournament in Glasgow.

At Celtic FC Foundation, we believe that everyone deserves the chance to thrive. By providing free access to leadership training, health and wellbeing support, physical activity and community-building projects, we are committed to making a lasting impact on the lives of those who need it most.

New strand of Ability Counts for Sligo Rovers and Celtic