Foreign National GAA Initiatives

Following on from the successful “Have a Go” evenings
and Top Town competitions for the ethnic minority communities the
Ulster Council have recently ran Gaelic Football events for foreign
nationals under the age of 16. In October the Regional Development
Officers each hosted an event across the province with a fantastic
turnout. In Monaghan over 100 boys and girls from secondary schools
in Monaghan, Cavan and Armagh turned up for a designated gaelic
games coaching session followed by a 9 a side gaelic football blitz
tournament. Pupils from Belturbet, Cavan Town, Monaghan town, Craigavon
and Lurgan attended and played their part in a very successful event.
At Queens University Belfast approximately 50 children enjoyed two
days of coaching and playing Gaelic Games. Schools from the South
Belfast area participated in this unique initiative.

And in the west of the province, 90 juvenile foreign nationals from
the secondary schools in the Letterkenny area participated in a
similar event. The standard at all of the events was very high and
the children were encouraged to get involved in gaelic games at
their school and with their local GAA club. Thanks must go to the
schools that participated in this initiative and organised the children
and the transport. All in all nearly 250 foreign national children
were introduced to gaelic games and the initial feedback was that
they all want more! So it is important now for our clubs to get
involved, welcome families from ethnic minority backgrounds and
show what our games have to offer.

The interest is definitely there. The next stage of this project
is to host an event for adults and similar events in the new year
culminating in a provincial blitz for adults and children in the
summer.