Though Ireland has been a traditionally poor country, it has always been remarkably generous in exporting aid to other countries in need. As a for-instance, our Parish priest in Florida, Fr. O'Houlahan, had spent twenty-odd years in Nigeria. Thousands of Irish missionaries, just like him, have been streaming out to work and live in the poorest nations on earth for generations.
This same generosity continues today. One Irish agency which gives vital support to developing countries is called GOAL.
GOAL, as the name indicates, is an agency with close ties to the sports world. It was founded in 1977 by a sports journalist, and receives substantial support from athletes like John McEnroe, Pat Cash and Michelle De Bruin (formerly Michelle Smith-that Irish swimmer who won so many medals in the '96 Olympics). Several tournaments and sports events are held each year as fundraisers- The GOAL Marathon, The GOAL Mile, and so on, but the work is not limited to the high-profile or sporty. Walking down Grafton Street the other day, I saw this goofy-looking old fellow collecting GOAL donations in exchange for a little sticker and a "God Bless You." Tons of people were helping out.
GOAL places doctors, engineers, teachers and other aid workers in more than a dozen nations. They rely upon local residents in most of these areas, I understand, rather than temporarily depositing some unacclimated do-gooder whose benefit will disappear as soon as he goes home. Over the past twenty years, GOAL has channelled more than $80 million into worthy programs, and thousands of lives in spots like Rwanda and Honduras have been saved or improved. Updates on the specific activities sponsored in each country can be found on GOAL's website.
GOAL is just one of many Irish agencies assisting the third world. There's also GORTA, which works to eliminate world hunger, Trocare, which is Irish for "Mercy," and Concern. Concern is a larger agency than GOAL, operating on about £25 million per year. Their accounts are available in full on the Internet, as is a donation form to accept credit card numbers. In 1997 Concern was commended in the Institute of Chartered Accountants Published Accounts Awards: "The Concern accounts were of an exemplary standard...the sort of report that would make you want to dig deep into your pocket and give to them." I find this a relief: some 'charities' in the US take any donations sent in to them and spend it solely on air-conditioned dog houses, cheap hoes and a deluge of slick junk mail. While there's some disingenuous scumbags like that in every country, I believe that GOAL, GORTA, Trocare, and Concern are on the level. I am glad that million of Irish people donate each year, and urge you to, as well, when you see volunteers collecting donations on your next trip to Dublin.
Guide Index Red words? Check the Dub Glossary!