Pupils from Billis National School, St Joseph's Primary School, Caledon, St Mary's Primary School and Model National School recently came together in Monaghan for a successful Sport 4 Peace ‘Game of Three Halves’ event, celebrating friendship, learning and positive community relations through sport.
The event provided a unique opportunity for children from different backgrounds and communities, including schools from both sides of the border, to participate together in rugby, Gaelic games and football within a welcoming, inclusive and enjoyable environment.
The Game of Three Halves event marked the culmination of a series of in-school coaching sessions delivered across all three sports, alongside educational workshops exploring diversity, inclusion and sustainability. Monaghan is one of six Sport 4 Peace hub areas currently operating across the nine counties of Ulster, and the event showcased the programme's core values of respect, teamwork and understanding.
Throughout the day, pupils had the opportunity to learn new skills, participate in mixed teams and develop friendships through shared sporting experiences, demonstrating the power of sport to bring young people together.
Launched in January 2026, Sport 4 Peace is a four-year partnership programme Sport 4 Peace is led by Ulster GAA in partnership with Ulster Rugby, the Irish Football Association (IFA) and the Football Association of Ireland (FAI). The initiative aims to engage more than 6,000 young people from communities across the province through a combination of sport, education and community engagement activities.
Upcoming activities include further Game of Three Halves events, inclusive sporting opportunities, ethnic minority engagement programmes, club partnership activities and young volunteer development initiatives. Together, these activities will continue to strengthen connections between schools, clubs and communities while providing positive experiences for hundreds more young people across Ulster.
Schools, clubs and community organisations interested in learning more about Sport 4 Peace or becoming involved in future activities are encouraged to contact Project Manager Mairead Downey at mairead.downey.ulster@gaa.ie.