Comfort Keepers named Official Community Impact Partner of the GAA and GPA
Comfort Keepers has been announced as the Official Community Impact Partner of the GAA and the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) as part of a new three-year partnership focused on strengthening social connections across Ireland.
At its heart, the partnership is built on a shared understanding that community connection plays a powerful role in overall wellbeing. Gaelic games are woven into everyday life in towns, villages and cities across the country, bringing people together through clubs, matches, volunteering and local pride. For Comfort Keepers, whose work is centred on supporting people to live well at home, the link between connection and quality of life is something seen first-hand every day.
Creating moments of connection in local communities
Over the coming months, the partnership will help facilitate community visits and engagements involving a group of high-profile ambassadors and inter-county players. These include PwC GAA/GPA Hurler of the Year John McGrath, Dublin All-Star Carla Rowe and GAA legend Pat Spillane, alongside other players throughout the year.
Comfort Keepers CEO Collette Gleeson has spoken about how “home” is more than a place. It represents identity, routine, comfort and belonging. In her view, the ability to remain living at home, connected to familiar people and places, supports not only practical independence but also emotional wellbeing. This partnership reflects that belief, bringing community care and community sport together with a common purpose.
Collette also noted that the best outcomes happen when support systems complement each other. Care in the home can help people remain part of the community, while community organisations and shared spaces help keep people socially connected. When those elements work together, they reinforce the sense of purpose and inclusion that makes communities stronger.
Initial findings from the Comfort Keepers Connection Index
Alongside the announcement, Comfort Keepers shared initial findings from the new Comfort Keepers Connection Index, an annual tracker designed to measure social connection and community strength in Ireland. Based on a nationally representative survey of 1,000 adults, the early results indicate that the single biggest driver of social connection is people’s ability to remain living in their own home and community.
The research also underlines the role the GAA plays in helping communities stay connected. Two-thirds of adults surveyed said the GAA plays an important role in keeping their community connected, highlighting its value far beyond the pitch.
Community spaces matter too. More than two-thirds (68%) of adults said that the GAA and other community spaces support day-to-day social interaction and help people maintain a sense of belonging. For many people, a club can be a meeting point, a source of shared experience and a way to stay connected to what is happening locally.
The findings also suggest that connection looks different depending on where people live. Those in rural Ireland were almost twice as likely as those in urban areas to identify the GAA as a key source of social connection (22% versus 13%). The survey also found that men were more likely than women to cite the GAA as a primary source of social connection.
Alongside family, friends, neighbours and local shops or cafés, the GAA and other sports clubs were consistently highlighted as meaningful contributors to people’s sense of community. The research also found that more than half of adults would prefer to receive care at home, rather than leave their community, if their health deteriorated. Full findings from the Connection Index are expected to be released in the coming weeks.
A partnership aligned with shared values
Tom Parsons, CEO of the GPA, has described “caring” as one of the association’s core values and said the partnership is a strong and authentic fit. He emphasised that this is designed to be more than a traditional sponsorship, reflecting a shared focus on wellbeing and connection. From a player’s perspective, inter-county teams are deeply rooted in the communities they represent, and the ability to give back in a meaningful way is an important part of that relationship.
Comfort Keepers ambassador Pat Spillane has also spoken about the role Gaelic games play in building belonging across generations. Clubs are often places where people connect not only through sport, but through shared stories, support networks and community identity. He highlighted that strong communities do not simply happen, they are built through the everyday efforts people make to support one another, both on and off the field.
About Comfort Keepers
Comfort Keepers has been providing homecare and specialist support services in Ireland for over 21 years, supporting older people and adults living with disabilities or long-term conditions to live independently and safely at home, with dignity and confidence.
Comfort Keepers is an approved HSE home support provider and has worked in partnership with the HSE since 2005. The organisation is also ISO-accredited.
