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Councillor Pete Byrne, Chair of Newry, Mourne and Down Council, attended a special event at the Brain Injury Foundation in Camlough to present awards won by the Foundation’s BIFFERS Pool Team.
Frank Dolaghan, Brain Injury Foundation, chair and manager of BIFFERS pool team, welcomed the Chairperson, the team members and their family members.
Explaining the event Frank said ”Biffers joined the Northern Ireland Disability Pool League, playing Division 5 and showed exceptional talent and perseverance. The team comprises brain injury survivors only and is the first such team to participate in the League. BIFFERS was formed as part of the Foundation’s regular programme of social and leisure activities aimed at tackling social isolation and building inclusion among brain injury survivors and their carers."
The team participated in and won all 8 of their league matches travelling to places as far away as Coleraine, Antrim and Belfast to play matches and take part in an annual competition, securing an unbeaten record for the season and topping their division. Several team members also won individual trophies in a separate annual tournament.
Main team members are Paul Rowland and Tony Dolaghan of Newry; Patrick Hughes and Pea Murphy of Camlough/Bessbrook, Pearse Rafferty of Armagh and Arnold Carville of Clare, Tandragee with Ryan Donaghy and Cal Morgan of Armagh as subs.
Frank continued "Survivors of a brain injury face many personal challenges such as fatigue, memory issues, and concentration difficulties. The determination of our team and their commitment throughout never wavered. We also need to pay credit to their carers who encouraged them and brought them to their weekly practices, which focused on skill development, coordination, and team-building and which were key to their success.
"At BIF we specialise in peer support so the team’s ability to support each other and remain focused through each match was a testament to their dedication and teamwork."
The team achievements highlight the positive impact of sport on rehabilitation and social integration for individuals with brain injuries.
Frank thanked committee member Anthony Murphy for his help at the team’s Wednesday evening weekly training sessions and recognised the support from some local pool teams including Whitecross, Carrickcruppen and Dan Gregory’s who played friendly games and helped in the team’s preparation for their competitive matches.
Councillor Byrne expressed his pleasure at being invited as he had made inclusion one of the main themes of his year as Chair. He noted that winning all 8 matches and finishing the season on top of Division 5 was a really significant achievement, proving that determination and team spirit can overcome any obstacle. The team’s success has inspired others in the community and raised awareness about the importance of inclusion and accessibility in competitive sports for individuals with disabilities.
Councillor Byrne then presented the awards. Light refreshments prepared by Manager Olive Hawthorne and Secretary Christine Davidson followed and the evening concluded with some impromptu entertainment.
Concluding the evening Frank Dolaghan thanked Councillor Byrne for the time he had invested in the event and for his relaxed and entertaining interaction with the team and other members. He emphasised that BIF is open five days a week to survivors of brain injury and their carers and anyone interested in membership or indeed in supporting BIF can make emquiries during office hours from Manager Olive Hawthorne on 30839943 or outside office hours, from Frank Dolaghan on 07740823713. People can also check out BIF’s website at thebraininjuryfoundation.com and also their facebook page.
The teams second season starts in March and currently they would welcome any sponsorship to help with travel and other costs.
