700 Players take to GAA pitches across Europe
20 new clubs in development this year
Aer Lingus sponsoring international festival in September
Gaelic Games are a dominant force in Irish sport but until recently have failed to ignite around the world. Despite the Irish diaspora, the development of an overseas element has been patchy but the latest wave of emigration may have sparked something more lasting.
This weekend sees five European tournaments taking place, in Sweden, Austria, Luxembourg, Italy and France. There will be 700 players in action, from a total of 45 countries and only a minority of them Irish born or of Irish heritage.
“Our games are growing at a staggering rate, and it is no longer just an Irish phenomenon – Europeans are really taking the games to their hearts,” says Brian Clerkin, PRO of the European County Board.
“The gospel of Gaelic games has now spread to 70 competitive clubs in 20 different countries, with a further 20 clubs in development in towns and villages throughout Europe.”
“The ex-pats who set up these clubs away from home are giving way to a new breed of player, drawn from the local regions,” says Clerkin.
The spread of the games will be aided by an Aer Lingus and Etihad Airways sponsored International hurling festival taking place this September in Galway.
Sixteen overseas teams will participate in the competition including teams from the UK, Continental Europe, New York, San Francisco, Canada, the Middle East and Australia. The tournament will also serve as an opportunity to promote the game of hurling in developing regions by including teams such as Buenos Aires, Milwaukee, Indianapolis and a Europe team made up of non-Irish nationals.
The four festival host towns will be Gort, Loughrea Ballinasloe and Galway. The festival will extend to include traditional music and dance events and there will be a local underage Hurling Tournament that will run alongside the senior tournament.
“We are very excited to bring this one of its kind hurling festival to Galway City and County, in the year of The Gathering,” said Mike Greally, Aer Lingus’ Chief Human Resources Officer. “The game of hurling is uniquely Irish, like Aer Lingus, and is a source of enormous pride to the Irish all around the World.
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