'A magical experience that achieved its goal'

It was a case of mission accomplished for a group of people with close connections to Meath GAA who returned home from the Philippines recently.

The group, which included a contingent of players who have worn the colours of Kildalkey in hurling and Ballivor in football, had travelled to the Philippines on a specific mission - to build a school for the Badjao people, traditionally a nomadic sea faring tribe.

The Badjao are renowned far and wide for their friendly nature and their warm-hearted welcome. They do, however, live in what folk this part of the world would regard as extreme poverty with a lack of facilities ensuring many don't get a proper education or a chance to improve their lives.

The travelling party included chief organiser Tony Hannon, a retired teacher who lives in Boardsmill. He was accompanied by his daughters Alannah Hannon and Kealey Hannon as well as Laura Dempsey, who won an All-Ireland medal with Meath at u-16 level.

They were joined on the trip by David Conneely, Padraig Geoghegan, Mark Healy, all of whom play, or have played, for Kildalkey and Ballivor in hurling and football. Another to make the trip was Richard Hogan, the founder of the registered charity 'Embrace Badjao.'

Initially the Meath group had sought to raise €25,000 in order to fund the building of the school. Instead, backed by a surge of goodwill, they generated €34,000 as people responded lavishly. Tony Hannon described the response to the fund-raising campaign as "amazing."

Some of the funds were sent out before the group travelled in order to provide materials for the school’s foundations. The travelling party (that included builders, educators and business folk) soon followed.

"Conditions were extremely hot and humid, but working with the Badjao was an amazing experience," explained Tony Hannon. "We didn't understand their language and they had very little English, but this did not prevent us working side by side to build the school. Hand in hand with the building project was classroom teaching which took place in a family house/shack.

"Conditions were extremely tough, but great fun. Future teaching groups will have much better conditions with the building of the school. At lunchtime on the second day 40 children, five parents, and three of our group walked about 30 minutes through crowded streets to a local franchise restaurant that would be the equivalent of a KFC.

"Everyone had rice, chicken and a drink. None of the children had ever been to a restaurant and loved the experience. Two amazing things happened. Firstly, Embrace Badjao paid the bill for all, which came to €83!!!

“Secondly, all the children looked for small paper bags and each child put his/her piece of chicken into the bag. We wondered why they did this, to be told by the parents that the children were bringing the small pieces of chicken home to share with their families."

Hannon emphasised while the travelling group gave their time and expertise for free they still got so much in return. "All the Irish group agreed that they received much more than they ever gave to the Badjao. It was a magical experience that achieved its goal.

"Hopefully this is a big first step to a better future for the Badjao. The project would not have been possible without the support of the communities of Kildalkey and Boardsmill, Co Meath Golf Club, Boardsmill National School, Kildalkey and Boardsmill GAA clubs, the Village Inn pubs in Rathmolyon and Kildalkey, and the wonderful donations both large and small."