Two of Dublin's best known Gaelic footballers have teamed up with one of the city's biggest GAA clubs in establishing a new-concept sports creche for children up to the age of 12.
The Fitness4Kidz initiative is based in St Vincent's GAA Club on the Malahide Rd, Marino, with Dublin forwards Mossy Quinn and Conal Keaney on hand five evenings a week to put children through their paces in a wide range of activities.
A healthy snack is provided as well as transport for the children from their northside schools to the Marino club.
"A lot of creches are literally a house with an extension on the side and you may have a back garden and swings," said Quinn.
"But a GAA club has everything from the outdoor pitches for ball games to an indoor hall with plenty of room to play as many sports as we like. We also have things like arts and crafts, jewellery making and facilities for kids to get a start on their homework if that's what they want to do.
"We're saying to parents; do you want to send your kids to a creche after school where they're sitting in a room or here where they're getting exercise in a safe and enjoyable environment?"
Keaney said the initiative was an after-school solution for parents who want their children to get regular exercise.
He said while children were welcome to attend every weekday there was no obligation on parents to send them that often. "But we are saying to parents that the minimum would be two days a week."
Both footballers are backed by a team of primary school teachers and other FETAC-qualified staff.
Fitness4Kidz can can take up to 70 children per day. The club is open 2pm-6pm weekdays and takes children from the age of five up to 12.
A fee of €25 per day per child is applicable based on one family member attending two days per week.
Reductions are offered for those attending more than two days per week and for families with more than one child attending.
For more information log on to www.fitness4kidz.net
