In line with the increase in the number of Africans in this country, a new organisation aiming to promote African unity and culture in Ireland through sports has been formed.
This organisation, known as the African Cup of Nations Ireland (ACNI), is a voluntary community group formed through the Dublin Multicultural Resource Centre, a community-based organisation open to all nationalities and ethnic groups.
The African Cup of Nations is a biannual soccer tournament for the national teams of countries in Africa. In line with the regulations of the original tournament, the organising communities of the African Nations Cup Ireland – backed by its patrons Dr Tom Cooney, Ignatius Okafor, Tony O’Donoghue, Fidele Mutwarasibo, Benedicta Attoh and Chinedu Onyejelem – have decided to stage the first edition of the tournament in Dublin in the first week of June 2010.
The African Cup of Nations Ireland will be open to citizens of African countries resident in Ireland, each of which is expected to present a team named after their country’s national team.
In order to accommodate as many countries as possible, the decision as to what format the competition will take will be decided at a meeting of the participating teams at the close of the registration period.
Registration forms for the tournament are available at the ACNI office at the Dublin Multicultural Resource Centre, Nelson Mandela House, 44 Lower Gardiner Street, (Basement), Dublin 1. The closing date for registration is 20 January 2010.
For more information on the African Cup of Nations Ireland and how to register, please contact Osa at 085 141 6660, Zuby at 086 304 0807, Ignatius at 087 786 6282 or Edamwen Agho at 086 883 9223, or visit www.irelandnationscup.com.
