The FAI Ford Cup has been on a whirlwind tour of Fingal for the past few weeks, but this last week has been especially busy.

Last Thursday, the trophy was brought up to Rivervalley Community Centre, where the participants in the Sporting Fingal Community Trust’s Pitstop Programme were receiving their completion certificates. Each participant got the chance to have their photo taken with the trophy.

The next day, St. Finian’s School in Swords was the destination as a local FAI Futsal competition was taking place, with boys and girls from schools all over Fingal present. Shaun Maher was on hand to answer questions and join in some photos with the boys and girls. The trophy was also present at the Swords Chamber of Commerce lunch that afternoon.

On Saturday night, the trophy was the centre of attention at Roganstown Golf and Country Club, as the season wound down with the official End of Season Celebration Dinner.

The next Monday, the trophy visited Mary Mother of Hope Junior and Senior National Schools in Littlepace, Dublin 15. Once again Shaun Maher was on hand to answer questions, and he even posed for a few photos with his nephews, who attend the school. The trophy also visited the Fingal Rotary Club in the Clarion Hotel that afternoon.

On Wednesday, another FAI Futsal tournament, this time in Skerries Community Centre, was the cup’s destination, and kids from Balbriggan, Skerries, Donabate, Portrane and Rush got a chance to have a picture with the famous trophy as well as a Q&A with Shaun. 

On Thursday night, Conan Byrne and the cup were in City Hall to witness a memorable occasion as six members of the Sporting Fingal Special Olympics Team were presented with their Ireland international caps.

On Friday, the trophy visited local school Swords Educate Together, who are massive supporters of the club. Local hero Conan Byrne, fresh from his voluntary trip to Zambia, and the day after he was named SWAI player of the Month, was present along with Shaun Maher as they showed the trophy to a full assembly hall, before answering all the kids’ questions. On Friday afternoon it visited Castleknock for the Dublin 15 Chamber of Commerce lunch.

“It’s been a busy week”, said Club Promotions Officer Conor Cullen, “but it’s great that there’s so much interest in the trophy. We plan to visit every school, club, and anyone else in Fingal who wants to see the trophy in the coming weeks and months. We’re a Community Club and winning this trophy has been a Community achievement, so we want to share it with everyone. We’re lucky in that we have a manager, staff and group of players who are fully behind the community work we do.”