Tyrone Gaelic player Conor Meyler on course to plant a million trees

Conor Meyler joined 50 leading GAA stars to compete in the first ever ‘Plant the Planet Games’ in Nairobi, Kenya, on a visit where they also planted the first thousand trees in a GPA-backed tree planting effort to tackle climate change in Africa.

Each of the participating players, who included inter-county hurlers, footballers and camogie players from 23 different counties, were tasked with raising €10,000 in sponsorship to support the effort.

The group’s collective total has already topped half a million euro, with funds still coming in.

The initiative was organised by Galway dual player Alan Kerins Warriors for Humanity in conjunction with development charity Self Help Africa, and is also being supported by Kenyan Olympic medallist and world record holding runner, David Rudisha.

In a social media post, Conor Meyler says: "The work of Self Help Africa and Brighter Communities Worldwide goes a long way in fighting poverty and climate change. The goal of planting one million trees will continue to happen and grow over time with the generosity of everyone who has already donated and continued to do so.”

Business Development Director at Self Help Africa, Martha Hourican, said that the trip had exceeded all expectations, and that the support provided by the Gaelic players would have a transformational effect for communities in Kenya hard hit by the effects of climate change. “Regions of Kenya have endured four successive years of drought, upwards of two million livestock have been lost this year alone, and crops have failed.

“This trip responds to that crisis in a practical way, while also highlighting for people back home across Ireland very real effects of climate change being felt by poor and vulnerable communities in Africa,” she said.

Amongst the participants in the inaugural ‘Plant the Planet Games’ with Conor Meyler, were Limerick Hurler Sean Finn, Wexford’s Matthew O’Hanlon, Kerry’s Stefan Okunbor, Clare’s Podge Collins, Kilkenny’s Grace Walsh, and Niamh O’Sullivan from Meath.