Mayor Therese Ridge on behalf of South Dublin County Council and in association with Shamrock Rovers F.C, Tallaght Partnership and Co. Dublin VEC will officially launch the Show Racism the Red Card Campaign on Wednesday the 28^th June 2006 at 11.00am in the Basketball Arena Tallaght.

South Dublin County Council has teamed up with Show Racism the Red Card Ireland and Shamrock Rovers to launch the Show Racism the Red Card campaign in Tallaght.  Shamrock Rovers just like many new residents will find Tallaght as its new home next year, and we are very proud to launch this new initiative.

Show Racism the Red Card Ireland is an anti-racism education project, which harnesses the profile of sport, for anti-racism education.  Originally founded in the UK in 1995 by West Ham United and Trinidad- Tobago goalkeeper Shaka Hislop, it has since produced three videos and a wide range of education resources for use in schools and other education and training arenas

Through supporting the Show Racism the Red Card Initiative, South Dublin County Council and Shamrock Rovers in association with Tallaght Partnership and Co.Dublin VEC will aim to make a positive local impact on intercultural and anti-racism activity.  Participation in sport provides great opportunities to interact with people from all cultures and through playing working and living together we can promote integration and understanding.  

In Attendance will be: Pat Scully (Manager Shamrock Rovers), Aiden Price (Captain Shamrock Rovers), and Barry Murphy (Goalkeeper Shamrock Rovers), Paul Osam(TV3 pundit), Alfred Nii-Mawuli( Captain of the Ghana team which won the Sari World Cup) and local schools and clubs.

Following a presentation of the Show Racism the Red Card DVD and Website, young people present on the day will have the opportunity to interact with the sports stars in a questions and answers session. There will be a range of prizes for best questions including shirts and match tickets.

Speaking ahead of the launch Shamrock Rovers boss Pat Scully said: Football is great for bringing people of all nationalities together. We need to encourage this in our everyday lives. We also need to recognise that talent comes from within regardless of race, colour or creed.

Mayor of South Dublin County Council Teresa Ridge added: South Dublin is now home to many nationalities and we must learn to value all they have to offer to our community. As a local authority we a responsibility to promote such initiatives because by opposing racism we can encourage integration in our everyday dealings with each other leading to a better quality of life for all

For more information please contact: Garrett Mullen the Irish Co-ordinator for Show Racism the Red Card Mobile: 086 392 7650, Website: www.theredcard.ie or Jennifer Hill Student Sports Officer for South Dublin County Council Phone: 01 4149000 Ext: 3361