"Believe that further shore is reachable from here"

In these unprecedented times of fear and uncertainty, sporting organisations across Donegal are rising to the fore in a bid to ease anxiety among young and old.

Social media has been lit up this week by GAA, soccer and other clubs offering reassurance and practical support to those most in need of it.

Whether it's arranging to bring medication and groceries to elderly friends and neighbours or providing individual training advice for young athletes, the county's sporting families are determined to do their bit throughout this crisis.

And that spirit of stoicism has been expressed perfectly by Fearghal O'Boyle, a commitee member of Naomh Padraig GAA club based in the Inishowen parish of Iskaheen.

In his role as PRO, he has turned his task of writing out the club's weekly notes for the local newpapers to good effect this week, issuing a message of encouragement for all those feeling anxious about what lies ahead.

"This is a time for club members to come forward and be involved in helping those in our community who are finding it difficult to cope with current restrictions," he writes.

"Our people have come through tough times before and we will come through this too, but only by working together and each of us doing our own small bit to stem the spread of this disease."

At the end, he includes some emotive words from the great Irish poet Seamus Heaney:

"Believe that further shore
Is reachable from here.
Believe in miracle
And cures and healing wells."

At a time that is profoundly worrying for everyone, particularly our children, it is immeasurably reassuring to see words like this from Fearghal (and countless others in the community) being expressed.

Here's the full text of his notes:

"Normally filling this club notes section in March of any year is no challenge for a PRO, but we live in interesting times in 2020.
Due to the current public health crisis, the GAA at all levels have suspended all activity as part of the nationwide effort to reduce the rate of contagion and that includes us at Naomh Padraig Uisce Chaoin.

We wish all of our members the very best through this difficult time, particularly those who are elderly or who have themselves, or family members with, underlying medical conditions that make them more susceptible to illness that others.

The ban on GAA activity doesn’t mean there is nothing we can do in the face of this emergency. On the contrary, this is a time for club members to come forward and be involved in helping those in our community who are finding it difficult to cope with current restrictions. If anyone needs messages done or anything else please contact us at 087 2521441 and we will be glad to help.

The club lotto will also be suspended until at least the end of the month as we cannot have our usual collectors going from door to door or into the local pubs which have now all closed for the duration.

We also send our best wishes and solidarity to all of our local sponsors who are facing closures or a serious fall off in trade due to the virus.
We thank you for all you have done for the club and for our children in sponsoring team kits, fundraising events, groundworks, the scoreboard, the trips to Scotland and much much more.

We will be asking all of our members and their families to remember you during this crisis and when your doors re-open again.
Finally, to all our young members who are off school for a while, please remember to exercise every day and to have a look at the skills challenges that have been sent out by your managers and coaches.

All you need is a ball and a wall, and we look forward to seeing you all back down in Ture again as soon as we get the all clear.
This is a tough time for the community, the nation, and indeed the world. Our people have come through tough times before and we will come through this too, but only by working together and each of us doing our own small bit to stem the spread of this disease.

There is a great old Irish proverb or Seanfhocal that goes ‘Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine’ People live in each other’s shadow, and its only by acting collectively, as a team, and working for each other, that we will triumph.
Indeed, this is the very ethos on which the GAA is based and which has seen us survive and grow through all sorts of challenges since 1884.

Stay safe, heed the HSE Guidelines, and be kind to each other.
See you on the other side of this."