The Devlin Cup was created in memory of Jamie Devlin, who died by suicide in 2022, by his best friends Callum Craig and Sean Loughran.
Devastated by the loss, Callum and Sean found themselves reconnecting through their shared love of football. Playing five-a-side brought them together with many of the friends who had known Jamie and were experiencing the same grief.
From those regular games came the idea for the Devlin Cup – an annual football event that would remember Jamie, bring people together and raise money for mental health charities.
The first Devlin Cup took place in 2023. Following the sudden death of Jamie’s sister Carrie-Anne shortly afterwards, however, Callum and Sean realised the project could become something even more meaningful.
It became a way of encouraging people to talk more openly about grief, loss and mental health, while celebrating and remembering the people who were no longer with them.
That thinking ultimately inspired GOAT FC – Get Out And Talk, taking its name from Jamie’s old Xbox gamertag, “The Goat Bandit”.
This year’s Devlin Cup took place at Seaview Stadium on Saturday 15 August and raised funds for PIPS Suicide Prevention and Lighthouse.
More than £3,000 has already been raised from this year’s event, taking the total generated for charity since the Devlin Cup began to over £10,000 – and organisers are keen to keep the fundraising going.
Devlin Cup
Readers can continue to support the campaign and donate at:
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/get-out-and-talk
Callum Craig said: “The Devlin Cup exists because we lost Jamie. Sean and I were trying to deal with losing our best friend and football gave us a reason to get together again. It brought us back into the same space as other friends who loved Jamie and were going through the same thing.
“What we realised quite quickly was that the important part wasn’t really the football. It was getting people together, talking, laughing, remembering Jamie and being there for each other.
“Grief is something every one of us will experience in different ways, but people can find it incredibly difficult to talk about. We want Get Out And Talk to show that you don’t always need to have some huge, serious conversation. Sometimes it is checking in with a mate, meeting for a coffee, playing football or simply asking somebody how they are.
“I’ve had my own struggles with anxiety, depression and loss and counselling helped me understand how important it is to actually practise what we are preaching. Talking does help.
“To have now raised more than £10,000 through the Devlin Cup is something we’re incredibly proud of, but we want to raise as much as we possibly can for organisations doing vital work. If anyone enjoyed the event, has followed what we’re doing or simply believes in the message, we’d really appreciate them donating whatever they can.”
Callum’s own experience of counselling with PIPS became a catalyst for sharing more openly about mental health, anxiety, depression, loss and starting again as a single father.
Alongside Sean, he also began speaking to people who had experienced bereavement and loss, initially focusing on friends who knew Jamie. Their online videos have reached thousands of people and reinforced the simple message behind the project: it is OK to talk, remember, be vulnerable and ask for support.
Supporters can also purchase Get Out And Talk FC merchandise from Bourke Sports at:
