Ireland’s Homeless World Cup Team had cause to celebrate when they reached the quarter-finals of the 2005 Football Homeless World Cup held in Edinburgh this August. Ireland won 12 out of 13 games. In the first round they beat the title-holders Italy but when facing them again they lost 3-2, going out to a penalty in the last minutes of the game.

International News Street Papers (INSP) associated to the Big Issues magazine which hits our streets each month, was responsible for initiating the first Homeless World Cup event held in Austria in 2003 where 22 countries competed. This has become a yearly event and in Sweden last year, out of the 28 countries, the Irish team finished 3rd.

Street Leagues started in 2003 as a small leagues project for inner-city hostels that cater for rough sleepers, emergency cases, people who are on the move and have no permanent address, and those who are in drug rehabilitation, aftercare units or care houses.

In the beginning at least 50 young people who would not normally have participated in a sporting activity played. That number has now grown to 150 and Dublin City Council has given the use of their facilities in Cabra and Finglas for training and playing.

Brendan Doyle is a freelance physio who works with football teams in the Ringsend/ Irishtown area and also works with recovering drug addicts in the Spellman Centre in Ringsend. Brendan began his volunteer work with the Northside Street Leagues 5 months ago and is now ready to set up the Southside Street Leagues.

Having put out the word in the area, he already has 10 teams signed up to start in September. The Irishtown Stadium will be the venue for the team’s training and playing.

The primary reason for the Street Leagues is to help integrate people who may have become alienated from each other. It is directed towards engaging both male and female players, usually between the age of 16 and 40. Street Leagues commence every September and are made up of teams whose players come from members of the homeless, as well as members of the Eastern Health Board and Gardaí.
The love of the football game provides the common denominator on which all these, sometimes seemingly-opposed, individuals can get together and allow for a broader understanding to grow.

The league continues for 12 weeks and the winners go on to play in tournaments in Cabra or Finglas. In the New Year, the build-up to the World Cup will begin, where only the homeless members of the teams are eligible to participate. From February on, the selection process for the Cup begins.

For those who do not qualify to go to the South African 2006 Homeless World Cup, there will be an opportunity to play in the annual Home Nations tournament which includes teams from Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales.

Street Leagues is run on a volunteer basis. Sponsorship to date has been gratefully received from Anglo Irish Bank, Van Fleet, and Errea Sports. Thanks are also extended to the public for their support on bucket days. Any help or sponsorship from companies or individuals in providing for the growing need for further equipment and the ever-increasing demand for more coaching will be welcomed.

Local organisations that have existing relationships with the target groups and are interested in proposing players can obtain registration forms from Mick Prender c/o Ireland’s Issues at 086-604 7575.

Any further queries, contact Brendan Doyle on 086-059 1450.

Above: Irish World Cup team members. Brendan Doyle top row third from left, the Physio to the Irish Team.