Since
the inception of GOAL, stars from the world of sport have been
unfailingly generous in giving their time, energy and public profile
to highlight the plight of the poorest of the poor and the work
that GOAL is doing to help them.
When the well-known sports presenter Micheál Ó
Muircheartaigh visited GOAL’s projects in Calcutta,
he was moved by the spirit of the people and saw what a difference
the work of GOAL made to their lives. Seeing first hand how much
can be achieved for so little, O Muircheartaigh commented: ‘you
can really see where your donations are going here. It makes you
realise what a difference even a small amount can make. While
there is unbelievable poverty, there is also progress when you
see how many street children are helped by GOAL.’
Kilkenny
hurling star, DJ Carey is a long time supporter of GOAL’s
work and has also spent time in Calcutta, where he was profoundly
moved by the plight of the children in GOAL’s schools, night
shelters and drop-in centres. Carey said on his return from Calcutta:
‘the difference that GOAL makes to the lives of the
8,500 street children in their various projects is incredible.
They are literally being rescued from lives of squalor and being
given a chance of life.’
Former Wimbledon champion, Pat Cash is president of GOAL UK.
He was inspired by his visit to Calcutta and said that the message
he
brought home was one of hope: ‘Having seen what GOAL and its local partners are achieving
in Calcutta, I am convinced that if their methods were adopted
throughout the developing world, huge inroads into the problems
of poverty could be made.’
Former
World Number One Tennis Player Mats Wilander is President of GOAL
USA, while Former Wimbledon Champion Pat Cash is President of
GOAL UK.
Some of our other distinguished patrons include: D.J. Carey,
Ken Doherty, Brian O’Driscoll, Gordon D'Arcy, Keith Wood,
Sonia O’Sullivan, John McEnroe, Niall Quinn, Peter Canavan,
Padraig Harrington, Victor Costello, Andy Reid, John O’Shea,
Seán Óg Ó Hailpín, Brian Kerr, Maurice
Fitzgerald, Roy Keane, Hugo MacNeill, Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche,
Peter Fleming, Shane Byrne, Eamon Coghlan, Catherina McKiernan,
Joe Connolly, Eddie Jordan, Seamus Moynihan, Michael Carruth,
Sean Boylan, Charlie Swan, Brian Whelehan, Ron Delaney, Kevin
Moran, Yannick Noah, Fergus Slattery, Paul McGrath, Frank O’Meara,
Ray McLoughlin, Anthony Molloy, Steve Scott, Eddie Keher, Brian
Corcoran, Babs Keating, Barry Mc Guigan, Dr Jack Kyle, Liam Tuohy,
Jack Charlton, Matt Doyle, Barry John, Tony Ward, Denis Irwin,
Darren Clarke, John Treacy, Gary O 'Toole, Marcus O’Sullivan,
Des Smyth, Steve Collins, Claire Hourihane, Brian McEniff, Niall
O’Toole, Moss Keane, Joachim Nystrom, Paul Mc Ginley, Steve
Cram, David O'Leary, Sean Sorensen, Liam Griffen, Gillian O’Sullivan,
Kieran Mc Donald.
“GOAL’s work in Calcutta concentrates around the children and getting them either educated or out of danger at least. The one thing about all Indian children, and everyone says it, is that they as stunning.
The amount of times I had to ask people how they kept their teeth so white – everywhere we went there were beaming
smiles looking back as us…If there’s one thing Calcutta shows you is that kids resilience is enormous and if you give them any kind of reprieve from the hardships they’ll bounce back.”
