Lufthansa Technik Turbine Shannon (LTTS), one of the Mid-West’s largest employers has announced its first-ever GAA sponsorship.
With 90% of the company’s more than 300 employees coming from Clare or Limerick, the Irish subsidiary of Germany’s Lufthansa Technik AG was today confirmed as title sponsor of all Clare’s post primary schools Gaelic Games competitions.
The three-year sponsorship agreement covering all post primary boys and girls football, hurling, camogie & ladies Gaelic football in Clare will see LTTS supporting thousands of students across the county. LTTS specialises in the repair of components for aircraft engine turbines and has been operating in the Shannon region for more than 30 years.
Pat Foley, LTTS CEO and Managing Director said: “We’re a global company but our loyalties are local and with so many of our people active in the GAA as players, supporters and volunteers, this sponsorship was a natural choice for us. However, our decision ran deeper than that, and the partnership had to align with our own values, purpose and future strategy to nurture and support next generations. We recognise the crucial role that sport plays in young people’s lives and the extended value it brings to communities and counties and we are proud to be able to play our part, in partnership with Clare GAA.”
More than half of LTTS’ employees have children in local schools many of whom are also participating in GAA activities, and the new sponsorship has the potential to positively impact more than 10,000 students in Clare, together with their families.
Deirdre Murphy, Chief Operating Officer, Clare GAA said: “Sponsorship of grassroots and schools GAA is fundamental to the development of our young people and the development of the senior players of tomorrow. We are proud to include all members of the Gaelic games’ family, male and female, and it is fantastic to have a company with a strong global reputation that places such emphasis on community values behind us. This sponsorship will assist in developing Gaelic games for all boys and girls in Clare secondary schools while also creating an awareness among our youth of the future opportunities LTTS can potentially provide.”
Pat Foley went on to explain how young people are the lifeblood of companies, such as LTTS, which create excellent opportunities for those who want a rewarding career both from within and beyond the university system. “As part of this sponsorship we will invite both players and students onto the site in Shannon to understand the type of work that we do and offer them a chance to explore the opportunities that might be open to them in the future,” said Mr Foley. “In Ireland we are expanding year-on-year and hope we can encourage some of these fantastic young people to be the next generation of apprentices, mechanics, engineers, maintenance and HR professionals at LTTS.”
In addition to Clare, LTTS was also confirmed as title sponsor of all post primary schools Gaelic Games competitions in Limerick.
Lego engine makes flying visit to mark sponsorship
The GAA sponsorship announcement coincided with a flying visit from Germany of a model Lufthansa ‘Leap’ Engine made entirely of Lego. Taking six months and 400,000 individual pieces of Lego to develop, GAA officials, players and students from local schools were invited to its unveiling at the LTTS site in Shannon.
Weighing almost half a tonne and coming in at 60% of actual size, the Lufthansa Lego Leap1 Engine is a working model and landed in Shannon to mark the occasion of the sponsorship, appealing as it does to young people and adults alike. An incredible piece of structural Lego engineering of intricate detail and accuracy, it came complete with its own security.