Well done on coming together for the 2024 'Ireland Lights Up' initiative. The hugely popular ‘Ireland Lights Up’ walking initiative returns in January 2024, in partnership, RTE’s Operation Transformation, and Get Ireland Walking. GAA clubs across the 32 counties will once more ensure ‘Ireland Lights Up’ by turning on their floodlights and hosting community walking groups during the broadcast period of the hit RTÉ show.

The first date for clubs to host ‘Ireland Lights Up’ 2024 is Wednesday, January 10th, but clubs are free to host their walking groups on any, and as many, nights of the week as they want. The aim is to make exercise more accessible on the dark winter nights and to offer local communities an opportunity to get together and socialise in a healthy way.

Irish Life, proud sponsors of the GAA Healthy Club programme, are once again onboard to host another 'Steps Challenge' through their MyLife health app. An incredible 29,600 participants tracked their steps through the app in January 2023. This year’s prize fund amount to €30,000 which will be shared amongst the winning clubs.

By registering for Ireland Lights Up you are automatically registered for the Steps Challenge (although you don't have to participate in the latter - that is at your discretion). Please await further communication from Irish Life regarding the 'Steps Challenge'.

Club participant numbers will be given to RTÉ's Operation Transformation team each week and the accumulative numbers will be aired live on the show the following Wednesday. This is to ensure we can establish final numbers each week and evaluate the success of 'Ireland Lights Up'.

To establish total participant numbers and to be included in the live announcement, it’s essential your club registers participant numbers using the sign in sheet attached and inputting the figures through an online form. The GAA Community & Health Department will send out an email to gather this information at the beginning of each week (to the walking leader’s email address). Clubs that submit these figures will also be in with a chance to host the launch of “Ireland Lights Up” 2025.

JK Brackens will begin this Wednesday evening at 7pm outside Pairc Shileain. Participants can meet at 6.50pm. All are welcome.