Latest news with #PhilipDevlin
Belfast Telegraph
21-07-2025
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Thousands attend opening parade for the annual Foyle Cup tournament
Almost 1,000 teams from across the world are set to compete in 3,600 matches, all aiming to be crowned champions in their respective age groups ranging from U-8 to U-18, with ladies teams once again taking part from U-9 upwards. As part of the cup around 20,000 players will take part. Crowds gathered for the tournament's annual parade which took place through Londonderry. Leaving the Magee campus of Ulster University shortly after 10am, teams were led by Lislaird Pipe Band and marched around Derry's city centre before concluding at Guildhall Square. Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today show, tournament organiser Philip Devlin said the event 'does the heart good'. "The work that goes on in the background is immense,' he told the programme. Watch: Flash Flooding hits parts of Northern Ireland "We used to have it on the Tuesday but moved it to Monday as we felt it really gears the kids up for the week ahead. "If you live close to a pitch there will be a game there, there are games everywhere.' Matches are set to take place at a number of venues across counties Derry, Donegal and Tyrone. The tournament will be running until Saturday and organisers have advised anyone attending matches to plan ahead for attending the fixtures due to the likely traffic disruption.
BBC News
21-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Foyle Cup kicks off with Londonderry city centre parade
Thousands of young footballers from across the world have paraded through Londonderry to mark the start of the O'Neill's Foyle 1,000 teams – some 20,000 players – will be competing for footballing glory over the next six days across the north competition, now in its 33rd year, has previously featured James McLean, Shay Given, Robbie Keane and John O'Shea as youth organiser Philip Devlin said the tournament had become one of the key events on the city's calendar. "The work that goes on in the background is immense," he told BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme, adding every year's tournament is a year in the said Monday's opening parade was a special way to get the tournament under way."It really does the heart good," he said."We used to have it on the Tuesday but moved it to Monday as we felt it really gears the kids up for the week from north America, Europe, Australia as well as the UK and Ireland are taking part in this year's have also arrived from across the globe."It is massive for not only the players but for officials as well," he said. The young footballers will play around 3,700 matches on pitches across counties Londonderry, Tyrone, and County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland."If you live close to a pitch there will be a game there, there are games everywhere," Mr Devlin said. One of the clubs taking part are Derry based Oxford United Stars."It is like their very own World Cup," under-14 coach Sean Whoriskey team have been put through their paces ahead of kick off, with extra gym and training sessions over recent said preparations have been going Dalzell also coaches the Oxford under-14 boys said there was a real sense of pride in taking part for local teams."Because we are a team from Derry, it is an event they really look forward to every year," he said."It is something they start talking about months in advance, it is the highlight of our year, something we really build up to." Estimates suggest the Foyle Cup is worth upwards of £8m to the local economy, Mr Devlin said."It is a privilege for us to be able to do that and provide that for the local economy, we are very proud to do that," he said. Hotelier Brendan Duddy said the tournament had become one of the city's key events."It is amazing how these guys have organised it, and how they have built it up over the years. It is fabulous for Derry, it is massive, just massive," he his hotel, teams from America, England, Monaghan and Belfast are booked for the tournament's run."We are fully-booked. It is as big a week as we get," Mr Duddy year's tournament was pushed back a week to avoid a clash with The Open taking place in Portrush.
