The Foyle Cup: A Triumph for Community Spirit, Collaboration and Personal Development

On a reflective Sunday morning after a sleep deprived week, it’s hard not to contain a smile thinking back on so many magic moments. A full squad of 16-year-old lads belting out Mr Brightside and Wonderwall in the wee hours during an impromptu karaoke session in the coach’s room probably topped the list of highlights but the entire week will take a prominent place in the happy memories bank.

For those who are unfamiliar, the O'Neills Foyle Cup is a highly successful youth football (soccer) tournament held mainly in the city of Derry but with matches played in neighbouring counties Donegal, Antrim and Tyrone. If you are from the North West of Ireland it would be hard not to know about it.?It’s a festival of football hosting more than 9,000 8–19-year-olds representing 500 teams from all over Ireland, UK, Europe, US and Canada and attracting in excess of 200,000 spectators.

Hats off to the organisers! The planning and coordination of so many moving parts was meticulous.?Pitches were professionally manicured, officials were as professional as you would find at the highest level and the players were made to feel like every match was an FA Cup Final.?Even when the heavens opened, spectators flocked to the sidelines and cheered on their teams in the true spirit of football.?There was no room for animosity, no appetite for ugliness, just a shared appreciation and a genuine sense of connected belonging.

Shared experiences are Magical

As a proud volunteer at Rosario Football Club, coaching my youngest son’s team from they were knee-high, I had the pleasure of spending the week in Derry to help our side compete on the pitch but also to embrace all that comes along with youth tournament football. It’s certainly not all about the football.?As a 16-year-old, the prospect of getting on a mini-bus with fifteen of your mates and waving your parents goodbye for the week opens up a world of possibilities. Not all our lads are natural extroverts and therefore it’s safe to assume that a certain waft of anxiousness shared the air with the early bellows from the more boisterous of the bunch. One of the wonders of trips like this though, is how quickly cliques dissolve and solidarity prevails.?Commonalities are discovered, new friendships emerge, some individuals find a new sense of confidence and others learn that empathy is more effective than bravado. Shared experiences are magical.?At a time where our children are increasingly drawn to the entertainment contained within a 6-inch screen, the Foyle Cup provided me with a gentle reminder on how important connected experiences like this are so crucial for the development of our children…and ourselves.

The Power of Business in the Community

It’s very easy to gloss over the commercial realities of an experience like the Foyle Cup as I romanticise about the pureness of the overall experience.?Fresh air, laughter and friendships are priceless but the reality of our team participating in the Foyle Cup could not have happened without the generosity and goodwill of the local business community.?The costs of a trip like this can’t be underestimated.?Transport, fuel, accommodation, food and drinks, kit, tournament charges, laundry and entertainment all take its toll on the budget for a squad of 16 players and 3 coaches. We are fortunate as part of Rosario to have local businesses such as Noel Savage Construction Ltd and Used Cars NI (Thank-you Anthony Kiernan) who have been great supporters for many years and were instrumental in helping our lads turn out professionally to all of our matches and training sessions.?We also had generous donations from Power NI to cover some of our entertainment costs and Richmond Marketing who kept us hydrated all week with Volvic water.?We were really well looked after by Long’s SuperValu in Derry for our discounted lunches while the staff at Brunswick MovieBowl were fantastic in providing us with breakfast and dinner at concession rates and brilliant service. Our minibus was donated by St. Josephs College and Ulster University provided us tournament rates at Duncreggan Student Village.?Just a snapshot of some of the businesses that helped us to participate in the Foyle Cup.?A huge thanks on behalf of the coaches, players and parents!

Community Spirit is Infectious

What was most refreshing about the whole Foyle Cup experience was the irrefutable sense of community. I’ve always felt the warmth of people when I visit Derry and Donegal but this week I couldn’t help but notice that everyone was smitten by it.?Banter, laughter and the craic were the common currency everywhere you went.?That feeling when you walk into your granny’s house as a child, surrounded by familiar smiling faces, the waft of home cooking and a vibrant buzz of chit-chat that soothes the soul and cooly stimulates the endorphins without you even knowing. Somehow, the entire population was briefed on the Foyle Cup.?Pedestrians, shopkeepers, delivery drivers, everyone made time to ask how the football was going and wish the lads all the best.??We didn’t lift the trophy but every one of our lads came back to Belfast feeling like an absolute champion and busting to go back to the Foyle Cup next year!

Notable mentions:

O'Neills Irish International Sports Co. Ltd.

Danny Treacy and Maureen Treacy at PERCEPTIVE INSIGHT MARKET RESEARCH

Power NI (Thanks to Coach John Newman )

Richmond Marketing (Thanks to Karen O'Hare )

NOEL SAVAGE CONSTRUCTION LTD

Used Cars NI (Thanks to Anthony Kieran )

Long's Supermarkets Limited

Brunswick Moviebowl

Ulster University (All the team at Duncreggan Student Village)

All the Volunteers at Rosario Football Club - Too many to mention but all do amazing work behind the scenes!