Sligo Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) and biopharmaceutical company AbbVie announced a three-year sponsorship at the company’s facility on the Manorhamilton Road, Sligo today.

The arrangement will see the AbbVie logo appear on the Senior ladies’ football team jerseys until the end of the 2022. The new 2020 season Sligo LGFA jersey will be revealed in advance of the team’s Division 3 Round 5 fixture against Longford on March 8th next.

The partnership provides the Sligo LGFA with much needed funding to help develop and grow the ladies game throughout the county.

AbbVie also sponsors of the Sligo men’s county GAA Senior, U-21 and Junior football team jerseys.

This new sporting partnership further underscores the biopharma company’s support of local communities and sports organisations, whilst demonstrating a firm commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) practices, both inside and outside of the organisation.

AbbVie’s support of wellbeing, mental health initiatives and female employee development has also helped the company secure an Ibec KeepWell award and recognition as a Great Place to Work for Women by the Great Place to Work Institute.

AbbVie’s new partnership with the Sligo LGFA also means that it is now the only multinational pharmaceutical company in Ireland to support an inter-county team in either code regardless of gender.

AbbVie has two plants in Sligo, one in Ballytivnan and the other at Manorhamilton Road. Many of the company’s 400-plus employees are currently involved in GAA and the LGFA or have previously played the sport at various levels.  

Commenting on the sponsorship, Columba McGarvey, Site Director AbbVie Ballytivnan, Sligo said: “We are delighted to be extending our existing sporting partnership to include the Sligo Ladies LGFA senior football team.  AbbVie has been a strong supporter of the men’s teams for the past four years and this new partnership is a natural progression for our company, particularly as many of our female employees are involved in the sport.”

Darren Egan, Site Director AbbVie Manorhamilton Road, Sligo added: “Embracing equality, diversity and inclusion is fundamental to AbbVie and we hope that our support of Sligo LGFA will help to showcase and foster the incredible sporting talent that exists across the county.”

Chairperson of Sligo LGFA, Raymond Carden thanked AbbVie for their support and said: 

"As chairperson of Sligo LGFA I am delighted that AbbVie, a company with a significant presence in Sligo and across the Northwest, will sponsor the Sligo senior ladies team for the next three years. I am confident that the relationship with AbbVie will benefit the development of ladies football in Sligo and, as a county board, we are striving to increase participation at all levels in the county.”

Sligo Senior Ladies Manager, Miceál Bohan also welcomed the new partnership with AbbVie: "This is a fantastic partnership and provides us with an exciting platform to better promote ladies football in Sligo. In recent years, the excellent work of the La​dies Gaelic Football Association has seen a huge increase in the coverage given to our game and with the partnership of our new sponsors, Sligo LGFA is confident that we can continue to grow in the years to come.”

A double line-up of Allianz Football and Hurling League fixtures this weekend. Follow the hoganstand.com match tracker for live updates on Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon.

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