Homeless football teams in Dublin involved in Salvation Army tournament
A thrilling penalty shootout concluded a football tournament organised by the Salvation Army, involving the charity's Lifehouses in Dublin. Residents of the emergency accommodation centres gathered at the Trinity College sports grounds in Santry for the five-a-side competition, which was supported by Shelbourne FC. However, it was spot kicks that determined the fiercely contested final, ultimately won by Centenary House, one of The Salvation Army Lifehouses in Belfast, triumphing over Houben House family hub in Harold's Cross. The objective of the all-island tournament was to provide a fun day out for residents, who played alongside staff and even former Lifehouse service users who participated last Thursday, June 26. The six teams that competed against each other were Dublin-based Houben House, York House, Granby Centre, Rease House and Greencastle Parade, with Centenary representing Northern Ireland. Even though they didn't have teams to field, staff from the Thorndale, Grosvenor and Glen Alva Lifehouses in Belfast also attended to show their support. "It didn't matter what side anyone played on, everyone came and had fun, it was all about staff and residents being part of it and we wanted to make it a whole-of-Ireland event," said organiser and Area Operations Manager for Ireland, Emma Gillan. "There was some competitive stuff in that there was a trophy, but the idea was to have a fun, relaxed day so that residents and staff could enjoy each other's company. All of our residents really got into it and enjoyed themselves. It fostered community spirit, teamwork and inclusion among participants in a safe and welcoming environment, focusing on encouragement and positivity." Emma expressed her gratitude to the many supporters of the event, including Kristen Sample, community officer at Shelbourne FC, which provided footballs and bibs, 3Q Recruitment, which sponsored medals and the player of the tournament award, Caterex, Keeling's, Musgraves and Dunnes Stores. Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice . For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
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