Gaisce Defence Forces Challenge

On Tuesday 3rd June, former Minister of Children and Youth Affairs, Charlie Flanagan launched the annual Gaisce and Defence Forces Adventure Challenge in the Slieve Bloom Mountains. The Adventure Challenge is open to young people who are currently participating in the Gaisce Award programme and allows them to use the challenge for the Adventure section of their award.

Over the past 27 years, Gaisce and The Defence Forces have formed special partnership which has led to the development of the Defence Forces Adventure Challenge.

This year we had 30 brave people who took part in the 4 day challenge, which included in outdoor pursuits, aerial runways, zip wires, river crossings, obstacle courses, canoeing, rafting, orienteering, hiking, bivouacking and survival skills.

In recent years, Gaisce has positively discriminated in favour of young people from less advantaged areas, those who are marginalised and geographically isolated, young people who attend DEIS schools and new Irish. This year over 50% of participants were selected from such groups. Gaisce are very proud of the success of the Adventure Challenge and of the benefits it brings to these young people.

Have a read of how Luke O\’Mahony got on with the Gaisce / Defence Forces Challenge here.