November 2, 2023
CHN Staff Report
Harvard, Boston University, Merrimack and Notre Dame will participate in the 2024 Friendship Four tournament in Belfast, Northern Ireland, it was announced today.
Held annually in Belfast since 2015, the Friendship Four is “designed to promote education, social welfare, and community interaction, building on the sister cities agreement between Belfast and Boston, which was signed a decade ago,” according to organizers.
“Creating opportunities for student-athletes to have a global experience is incredibly important and something that underpins the tournament,” Robert Fitzpatrick, chief executive officer of The Odyssey Trust, said. “The significance of the games reaches far beyond the ice, providing a unique opportunity to use sport as a tool to educate young people and create a spirit of mutual understanding, friendship, solidarity, and fair play.”
A women’s Friendship Series between Providence and Princeton will take place this January.
Fitzpatrick has also co-authored a book with Joe Bertagna titled “Ring the Bell!” It explores the history and growth of the Friendship Four.
“Chronicling the origins and impact of the Friendship Four, which has produced no less than 13 Belfast Giants, the book not only explores the 20 different NCAA universities that have taken part, but also describes how the friendships formed have endured and developed,” said a statement.
Said Bertagna, “It was a treat to revisit the competition and explore the themes that permeate everything about the Friendship events. This isn’t just recounting memorable moments in exciting games. Robert and I spoke with scores of people to understand why this has been such a special phenomenon. The themes of friendship, education, opportunity, and inclusion come alive in recounting the eight years since the Friendship Four began.”
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