European Gaelic Football Finals

EUROPEAN GAELIC FOOTBALL FINALS

2007 Barcelona November 3rd Barcelona Gaels are proud to announce
that they will once again be hosting the finals of the 2008 European
Gaelic Football Championships on November 3rd . Last year this
really successful tournament was the largest gathering of Gaelic
football clubs ever to take place on Continental Europe and this
year it will be even bigger. With teams from as far apart as Rennes
in Brittany, Copenhagen in Denmark, Budapest in Hungary and Madrid
in Spain and everything in between it promises to be an outstanding
European sporting event. We are expecting in excess of 300 men
and women who will do battle for the honours in 3 pitches in the
Catalan capital hosted by Barcelona´s own legendary club the Barcelona
Gaels.

The standard of the football and organisation has been increasing
every year in the ‘ County Europe ‘ over the last years and the
event is a must see for any sporting fans who find themselves
in Barcelona on the day. Guest of honour on the day will be no
less than the Director General of the GAA since 1979 , Liam Mulvihill
. Liam is due to retire in January leaving behind a legay of a
modernised sporting association unrivalled in the hearts and minds
of Irish people and now the many non Irish who are regularly enjoying
these exciting games all over the world. Liam will have a supporting
cast of VIP´s to include: Liam O’neill, Vice President GAA and
Chairman Leinster council Seamus Howlin, chairman of overseas
committee Helen O’Rourke, Chief Executive of Ladies football association
And our referees: Maurice Deegan, Laois. Jerome Henry, Europe.
Keith Tighe, Dublin. And Breda Lee, who will be representing the
Irish Embassy in Spain on the day.

The event is hosted and organized exclusively by the playing staff
of the Barcelona Gaels who will be fighting for honours in both
men’s and women’s competitions with teams comprising over 60%
local Catalans. Indeed the Iberian region will have representatives
from Madrid, Pamplona and Valencia to add spice to the local competition.
Play will commence from 9 AM on three separate venues in La Mar
Bella and Joan Serrahima with all the finals kicking off in Foixarda
from about 5PM on Montjuïc the site of the 1992 Olympics. The
games will be followed by a presentation dinner and afterparty
taking place in Poble Espanyol going into the wee hours.

Details are still emerging but the latest can be found on a special
section on the clubs website www.barcelonagaels.com You will also
be able to download the official programme in the days leading
up to the tournament from the same location on the website.