Bohemian Football Club has formally launched its new foundation, a separate organisation that will, it is intended, build on and expand the community work undertaken by the Dalymount Park outfit over the last couple of years.
The club has run a number of successful social initiatives including a programme of school visits, games between and against Mountjoy prisoners and events for senior citizens and the hope is to greatly increase the scope and reach of the initiative and so improve the connection between Bohemians and the community.
The foundation will be led by long-time supporter Thomas Hynes who has been a key figure in the work to date and who had previously been involved in a number of similar projects while living in the United States.
Speaking this morning at the launch in the Mansion House former club president, Chris Brien, who will be treasurer of the new organisation, said that work would begin immediately in raising the funds required for the programme of activities envisaged.
“To date, most of he activities have been fund by local retailers or committee members putting their hand into their own pockets but we want to expand the school project, do more work in the prison and more in the community generally and so the aim would be to move beyond that. We haven’t got charitable status yet but we’re working towards it and should certainly be a help.”
Current Bohemian president, Matt Devaney, says that while the club will remain separate to the foundation it will continue to work closely with it in terms of the involvement of players and other areas of practical assistance: "The work being done is fantastic and we're entirely supportive."
Tony Magnier, a supporter of the club who works as a teacher said the type of work involved has a definite impact on students. "You can't measure the benefit that the kids get from the attention they receive from a professional sportsman," he said at the launch.
“Anything that the foundation can do to inspire them is a positive. If they reach one kid on a visit then it’s all been worthwhile but take my word for it, in my experience, it’s a lot more than one kid that they reach.”
