A new app aimed at getting more people involved in sport has been launched by the Federation of Irish Sports (FIS) and Vodafone Ireland Foundation.

Called GameDay, the app allows the public to locate their nearest club for over 30 sports organisations, including the IRFU, Swim Ireland and Athletics Ireland.

The app uses location-based services and GPS technologies to create a grassroots network of sports clubs across every county in Ireland. The venture is the brainchild of four-time All Star Dublin footballer, Sinéad Goldrick, who came up with the idea after winning an internal Vodafone competition.

GameDay works by allowing users to search by sport, county and local clubs. Each club involved has a profile with their contact details, website, social media links and directions to their grounds, using a combination of GPS and Google Maps.

The app currently holds the details of over 2,000 sports clubs and their associated national governing bodies nationwide. Clubs that do not have a profile on the site can create their own profile for free on the GameDay website.

In Association with

Sporting Chance

The app is part of a wider FIS Game Day initiative to encourage and facilitate participation in sport at local level throughout Ireland. Dublin footballer Bernard Brogan, president of the Federation of Irish Sport, said: “Not only will the GameDay app get more people involved in Ireland’s huge variety of sports clubs, it is sure to offer additional support to our existing athletes, clubs and NGBs across the country.”

Ray Collins, Vodafone Ireland director of strategy and chairman of the Vodafone Ireland Foundation, added: “Our annual social innovator competition challenges our staff to explore ways of using our technology and resources to improve the lives of others. This app is a perfect example of what we want to achieve.”

James Galvin, CEO of the FIS, commented: “The contribution of sport to Irish society cannot be understated, so we are delighted to work alongside the Vodafone Ireland Foundation in this social innovation project that is sure to benefit the Irish sporting community.”

The GameDay app is available to download in the App Store by searching ‘GameDay FIS’ and the Play Store by searching ‘Gameday’.

Photo: Sinéad Goldrick with Bernard Brogan, Ray Collins and James Galvin.