It’s game on for deaf schoolchildren in Uganda who are embracing Gaelic Games thanks to new signs incorporated into the Ugandan Sign Language (USL) dictionary supported by a Co Clare GAA enthusiast.
The signs, tailored to teach Gaelic football and hurling, were launched with fanfare by the Irish Ambassador to Uganda, Kevin Colgan, at the Embassy in Kampala, with young Ugandan GAA enthusiasts with hearing impairments the “all-star” guests.
The man behind the initiative is John Conroy, a Clare native and long-time volunteer with the Rays of Hope Hospice in Jinja in eastern Uganda. During his summer visits, Conroy not only provides care at the hospice, but also brings a love of GAA to the region.
In July, he founded the Nile Óg Cusacks GAA Club and began coaching 30 deaf children at Walukuba West Primary School in Gaelic football. The enthusiasm was contagious, and by September, the sport had spread to all 1,300 students at the school.
“It’s brilliant to see how much joy Gaelic football brings to the kids,” said Conroy, extending gratitude to school principal Ziyadi Tamuzadde for his support. “For now, we’re focusing on football, but hurling is the next goal. Developing these new signs for both games is brilliant and shows how sport can bridge cultures and foster inclusion.”
The project drew inspiration from the Ladies Gaelic Football Association’s #SignMeUp campaign, which promotes inclusivity through Irish Sign Language (ISL) signs for Gaelic Games. “It’s essential that all sport provides a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone,” Conroy added. “We’re proud to contribute to the diversity of Gaelic Games in Uganda.”
There are now 7 GAA organisations in Uganda, with the number growing, and the deaf signing initiative coincides with the 30th anniversary of the Irish Embassy in Uganda.
Nile Óg Cusacks GAA Club also launched their new club logo today displaying the River Nile (the source which is in Jinga) running through Poulnabrone Dolmen, which is located in the Burren in Co. Clare, showing the connection between Ireland and Uganda.
