​Derry City coach picks up IFA Award

​Derry City Ladies’ Owen Murray has been named a regional winner of the ‘Wes Gregg Coach of the Year’ in the McDonald’s Irish FA Grassroots Football Awards 2023, an event that also saw Dungiven Celtic’s Melanie McElhinney pick up the ‘Volunteer of the Year’ award.
By Staff Reporter
Published 4th Oct 2023, 12:55 BST
Fun Football Ambassador Pat Jennings, McDonald’s Franchisee John McCollum and Owen Murray from Derry City Ladies FCFun Football Ambassador Pat Jennings, McDonald’s Franchisee John McCollum and Owen Murray from Derry City Ladies FC
Fun Football Ambassador Pat Jennings, McDonald’s Franchisee John McCollum and Owen Murray from Derry City Ladies FC

The annual McDonald’s Irish FA Grassroots Football Awards, which celebrate 23 years in NI this year, recognise the work and commitment of football clubs and volunteers who give up their time and make a long-lasting impact on young people and communities across the north. The national awards ceremony is due to take place in November at Belfast City Hall.

The regional awards event was hosted recently at Windsor Park where Northern Ireland legend Pat Jennings presented the winners with their trophies.

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"Without grassroots football volunteers none of this could happen,” explained the former Arsenal and Spurs star, “Through the years I have witnessed first-hand the significant impact that McDonald’s Fun Football has had, and continues to have, on the lives of young people.

Fun Football Ambassador Pat Jennings, McDonald’s Franchisee John McCollum and Melanie McElhinney from Dungiven Celtic FCFun Football Ambassador Pat Jennings, McDonald’s Franchisee John McCollum and Melanie McElhinney from Dungiven Celtic FC
Fun Football Ambassador Pat Jennings, McDonald’s Franchisee John McCollum and Melanie McElhinney from Dungiven Celtic FC

“It was fantastic to see McDonald’s recently announcing that 250,000 children from across the UK had benefitted from Fun Football in less than a year since the new programme launched.”

McDonald’s Franchisee John McCollum added: “McDonald’s is passionate about feeding and fostering communities and supporting local families, and our commitment to grassroots football is a great way for us to demonstrate that.

“The Grassroots Football Awards gives us a great opportunity to celebrate our local grassroots football heroes, who are the beating heart of the game we all love here in Northern Ireland. Congratulations to the winners.”

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Last year McDonald’s launched its new Fun Football programme, which will provide over one million 5–11-year-olds with the opportunity to enjoy free football coaching across the UK.

The programme will deliver over 10.5 million hours of ‘Fun Football’ over the next four years making it the largest grassroots participation programme in the UK. The programme will be delivered in collaboration with the Irish FA, Scottish FA, The FAW and a network of national coaching providers in England.

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