DUBLIN, Ireland–Gary and Paul O’Donovan, who won silver medals in the 2016 Olympics in rowing, have been selected as the new Credit Union Youth Ambassadors for the Irish League of Credit Unions. The rowing champions were officially announced as Ambassadors at the ILCU’s Youth and Marketing Conference here.
Newstalk 106 FM presenter Chris Donoghue was on hand to interview the sports stars live on stage, while a video filmed for credit unions by the two brothers was also premiered at the event, according to a released statement.
The Irish League reported the overall theme of the youth conference was Digital Marketing and Social Media, with a specific focus on how credit unions can develop their use of platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Snapchat to communicate with Millennials and Generation Z. Guest speakers included Zeminar co-founders Ian Fitzpatrick and Damien Clarke, Advertising Partner Manager at Facebook Lizzy Lillington-Lester, and Trendster Co-Founder Jack Cullen. A panel discussion on “Reaching the Next Generation” was another highlight of the two-day event, according to the league.
“Gary and Paul O’Donovan embody the spirit of co-operation and the ethos of working together towards a common goal which is so important to the credit union movement,” said ILCU President Brian McCrory. “Their accomplishments in rowing at global level and their achievements at the 2016 Rio Olympics make them ideal role models for young people in our communities, and indeed ideal ambassadors for the many youth programs run by our credit unions. We very much look forward to working with them as we advance our social media and video outreach.”
Gary O’Donovan added that “Our own credit union in Skibbereen has always supported us every step of the way and so we didn’t hesitate when asked to be the new Credit Union Youth Ambassadors. We’re very proud to be representing the movement, especially for the younger generations.”
Said Paul O’Donovan, “The support for us from all corners of Ireland has been overwhelming. Knowing we have such incredible backing from our own community and from communities around the country really makes a difference to us when we’re competing, and so we’re delighted to have this opportunity to work with a movement that gives so much back to the people in the local communities they serve.”