Dare To Believe Schools Programme Update

Dare to Believe Olympic School Visits Update

We have over 50 visits booked for this Autumn for both primary and secondary schools. The primary school visits were booked up in minutes. Our ambassadors are happy to be back with in-person visits where possible while also reaching schools all over the country from the north tip of Donegal to the south tip of Cork with virtual visits. 

We’ve had a number of school visits happen already with our Olympic Ambassadors, Rugby 7s Tokyo Olympian Billy Dardis visited Scoil Moibhi, Margaretstown, Skerries. Olympic Swimmer, Ellen Walshe visited Scoil Naomh Ide in Clondalkin, Dublin. View some of the images we captured below!


Dare to Believe Visits are On!

The Dare to Believe Olympic school programme is back stronger than ever with 100 Olympic ambassador visits on the cards for this School year. This term’s 50  school visits were booked up within minutes and the demand is high for both our primary and secondary school programmes. We are delighted to be back offering in-person visits to the delight of both students and athletes alike. And yet the virtual visits are still benefitting harder to reach schools and ambassadors with busy training  and work schedules.

Below are some quotes from school visits we’ve had so far;

Excellent programme. Olympic Swimmer.   Danielle Hill was brilliant

– Scoil an Aingil Choimheadai, Donegal

A fantastic opportunity for the school community to meet an Olympian and learn what it takes to get to that position.

Riverstown NS Glanmire, Cork 

Oliver Dingley was inspirational!. He was wonderful with the children and so positive about sport, the Olympics and life. The children thoroughly enjoyed his fitness lesson in the yard. We will remember his visit for a long time to come.

– Gaelscoil Nás na Ríogh, Meath 

Providing the opportunity for children to meet and greet sports people they look up to. The children had endless questions for the ambassador (Billy) which he happily answered. The programme has helped instil the values of respect, hard work and resilience in my classroom and our school. –

Scoil Moibhi, Dublin

Inspirational to both students and teachers-

St Finbarrs BNS, Cork 

It was such a fantastic day for the school, especially though for the class involved in the programme. Sarah was so obliging with her time and she really connected with the children. I think it was an added bonus that she was a Limerick athlete and the children could relate to how she got to be an Olympian. She went to a nearby primary school and competed at the Limerick Primary School athletes just like many of the pupils in our school.

Generally, the programme is very worthwhile and I would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending it to other schools and teachers. Having someone so recognisable as Sarah Lavin visiting the school was fantastic for the children in the school and a day they won’t forget.

I will certainly be trying to avail of another opportunity like this in the future. Thank you.

Herbertstown NS, Limerick 

Special Edition Posters

As a special lasting gift for schools lucky enough to take part this year is a new special edition Dare to Believe poster that features Olympic Champion and new crowned European Champion Kellie Harrington, Olympic Bronze Medallists Aifric Keough and Eimear Lambe,  2 X Olympian and European Medallist Thomas Barr and Irish Hockey Star Roisin Upton. In addition to the teacher and student workbooks this poster will surely inspire students well beyond the duration of the programme. 

IOC Ovep Workshop

The Dare to Believe Team of Roisin Jones and Roisin McGettigan, were asked to join a special Olympic Value Education Programme workshop at the International Olympic Committee’s Headquarters. They were asked to present their work at Dare to Believe and learn from a select number of OVEP programmes from around the world. 

What’s next:

Transition Year Events

We are delighted to kick off the first of our Transition Year visits after the midterm. Our ambassadors cannot wait to begin meeting the older students who’ve been working through the Dare to Believe TY Lifeskills through Sports programme. 

In addition to our visits, Dare to Believe will be attending the TY Show coming up on  November 8th at the National Sports Campus where over 4000 students will be attending. We will have Dare to Believe ambassadors present to giving talks, doing panel discussions as well as giving live Olympic sports demonstrations!! It’s gearing up to be a great event! 

Live Webinar – Meet the Medallists 

On November 16th our two rowing Olympic bronze medallists  Eimear Lambe and Aifric Keough will go live answering questions from students around the country.  Set to be an exciting event, in two separate webinars, both primary and secondary students will have the opportunity to “Ask them Anything” and learn more about the lifestyle and mindset of these Olympic super stars. Link to register is located above.

  • Primary Schools webinar, 16th of November at 10:00am – 10:30am, register by clicking here
  • Secondary Schools webinar, 16th of November at 11:30am – 12:00pm register by clicking here
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