'It's nice to see people haven't forgotten Liam': 56 teams set to descend on Bushmills this weekend in memory of much-loved and cherished Liam McCallum
Bushmills is set to host one of the biggest youth football tournaments in Northern Ireland this weekend as 56 teams make their way to the north coast.
All the teams - both boys and girls born in the 2015 age category - will lock horns at Bushmills Primary School and Dunluce School on Sunday (August 31).
The event is aptly named the 'Liam McCallum Celebration Tournament' in memory of the 10-year-old who suffered catastrophic brain injuries when being hit by a car in 2017.
The avid Liverpool fan sadly passed away at the age of 16 in 2023, leaving behind parents Ali and Natasha, as well as sisters Amy, Lucy and Rachel.
It marks the third instalment of the tournament and Liam's dad Ali spoke passionately about how the event "means the world" to the family.
"It's nice to see people haven't forgotten Liam and hopefully this tournament will get bigger every year," he said.
"We loved the fact it's played in Bushmills as we are from the village.
"Bushmills people are just a different class when it comes to helping people. We know Liam and his two granddads will be looking down on this very special day.
"Liam was football mad and a massive Liverpool fan as everyone knows. It's just so amazing to see all these young boys and girls coming to play in his celebration tournament. He would have loved it.
"Liam was known all over Northern Ireland and much further away. This week we had kind good luck messages from Germany and America. We would like to thank everyone involved in organising this tournament.
"We would especially thank Mervyn Greer and Leanne Abernethy for the extra effort they both put in to make sure this went ahead. We would also like to thank Dunluce School and Bushmills Primary School for giving us the pitches for the tournament."
It is set to be competitive on the pitch as teams from both Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland pit their wits against each other.
Ricky McMullan, chairman of Bushmills Youths, noted how the event will bring plenty of footfall to the village - just like the recent SuperCupNI tournament.
"It means quite a lot for Bushmills Youths to be able to hold such a prestigious tournament for someone who was such a remarkable young man," he added.
"The tournament fills up at quite a ridiculously high rate that we end up with a reserve list with so many teams wanting to be part of it.
"This alone shows how high the tournament is thought of in the grassroots football community.
"With 560 kids taking to the field and upwards of 2000 adults, the effect it has on the local community is enormous.
"Teams arrive early for breakfast, some parents take the opportunity to explore the shops and usually there are quite a number of families who make it a weekend event."