Community
- Tuesday April 17th, 2018 @ 12:00
New Community Officer Appointed
In line with the recent marquee announcements of major plans for the area in the shape of the 'Richmond Arena', we are also proud to bring more good news and welcome David Morrissey as an employee of St Patrick's Athletic Football Club.
David took up his position as community officer last Wednesday and is full of enthusiasm and optimism for the challenges that lie ahead.
"I'm a lifelong supporter of the club" says David, "so to have the opportunity to come and work for the club and make a difference to both St Patrick's Athletic and the broader community is something about which I am hugely excited and passionate about," he told The Saint.
David's brief as Community Officer will be to build relationships between the Club and the broader Dublin West/Dublin South West and Dublin South Central areas. The potential for bigger crowds on match night at Richmond Park is something that we can all see is needed, so the role of the Community Officer will be fundamental in ensuring that the message gets out that St Patrick's Athletic is at the heart of the community and is a place where all are welcome.
"I will be working to show that the Club is more than just a football team, it's a stage and a focal point for the community to rally around. The Club has a huge role outside of match-Âdays to play, and I will be working with community groups, charities, residents groups, supporters and individuals who have ideas about how we can create common benefits for us all in these areas. Like many areas of the city, Inchicore is not without its problems and we can have a societal impact on working to address these problems, that's something I am very passionate about," adds David.
As he says, supporters form their allegiances while young, and the Community Officer will work to get the name of the club out to schools and youth projects around the areas mentioned above, and be the interface between the club and the surrounding areas. "The club have given me a blank canvas is many ways with which to explore my ideas and I am looking forward to building on the goodwill that many around here have for the club, but that for whatever reason doesn't always translate into long-lasting support.
I was brought to my first game between the Saints and Bohemian FC (he's not sure of the score but Paul Osam scored) in the 2001/02 season when I was 6 or 7 and soon after that I was hooked, I would love to be able to help today's children find that common connection with St Patrick's Athletic," he adds.
While David will be based at the club he will spend much of his time out and about on the ground meeting people and spreading the word.
We will feature regular updates on the work of the Community Officer on stpatsfc.com. If anyone has any ideas or wishes to initiate contact they can send an email to david.morrissey@stpatsfc.com.
