Roger Casements Prepare for All Britain Championships

Following an exhilarating weekend of Ladies Gaelic Football Final action, seeing attendance records broken again, thoughts are turning to the All-Britain Junior Ladies Gaelic Football Championship Final which is being played in Manchester this weekend.

Gaelic Games plays an invaluable role in the lives of Irish emigrants living the world over, and especially in the UK.

The LGFA’s crucial role in engaging young women in sport through their diverse programs from Gaelic4Girls to Gaelic4Mothers & Others and everything in between has had such a positive effect on Gaelic Games in the midlands.

Sharon Canavan plays for Roger Casements GAA Coventry who, this weekend, will be competing for the All-Britain Championship against Tír na nÓg and she forwarded us the below article she has written about the vital role the GAA & LGFA play in lives of Irish immigrants in the UK, and a little about the team.

 

GAA in the UK, a Surrogate Family and a Home Away from Home

Having never been involved with the gaelic games at home, my first experience with Ladies Gaelic Football was when I moved to the UK 6 years ago. I was enticed into joining the Roger Casements Ladies’ squad soon after having my first son, with the promise of jovial drinking buddies and the reassurance that no one cared whether I was any good or not.

Fast forward 6 years, and I’m preparing for an All-Britain final, with a group of women who have shown me what strength, determination and integrity really mean.

Individuals bring an impressive tally of medals from home. Two All-Ireland winners, 6 Senior County Champions and countless Junior Championship medals from both disciplines; Football & Camogie. These are women who have represented Ireland at every level in Basketball, Volleyball, Soccer, even Badminton.

And it’s not just the native players who bring a sporting prowess. With new English recruits, coming from soccer, hockey, rugby and judo backgrounds, the athleticism on the team is undeniable.

We have been led by a dynamic management duo, who have been relentless in their efforts to make us fitter, faster, stronger than any team in the country. HIIT sessions every week for months, sprint sessions, skills sessions, pushing us hard right up until last light, and then some.

All in the hope of winning the All-Britain title, which last year proved too elusive.

Off the pitch however, the differences of 20 counties are put aside and friendships have formed. It’s hard to explain to someone who has never experienced emigration first hand, but knowing you have a club family there, on whom you can call on, makes living abroad all the easier. We have seen each other graduate Uni & take on PHDs, get married, buy homes here, become mothers. The heartbreak we feel when people move back home is immense. But with that come gaps left to be filled by new recruits: Maybe by a student who’s left home for the first time and is looking for a support network. A surrogate family. A team.

Maybe I was just lucky, and joined a good team and got my jovial drinking buddies; but there is definitely something special about Roger Casements GAA Club Coventry. As a team we would like to thank our sponsors; BCS Group, Kilkenny Construction Ltd. and our Charity Partners Anthony Nolan, saving the lives of people with blood cancer.

Roger Casements Ladies Football Team Coventry, are hoping to continue their 100% season and add to their County Championship Title with a win over Tír na nÓg of Yorkshire in the All-Britain Junior Championship Final in Manchester on Saturday 22nd September.

Why not go along along for what’s bound to be an intense game of football, and a taste of what Gaelic Games in the UK really means.

Venue: St. Brendan’s GAA, Manchester

Throw-In: 12.30pm

 

Best of luck to both teams and thank you to Sharon for sharing the importance of our games!

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