EuropeanIrish.com News Stories

Wouldn’t it be great to hear more about top Irish sports stars who are competing for Ireland all across the Continent.

EuropeanIrish.com will feature any sport and all age groups too, if you are Irish and competing in Europe – you are just as important as the Irish Senior soccer team or Munster Rugby, or the Olympic Athletes.EuropeanIrish.com wants to hear from you all - simply visit http://www.europeanirish.com/ News and add the News story.

or maybe you are based in Europe and run a club or a member of one which features a number of irish players, - if you have a news story add it.The Irish in Europe would love to read about it.

The Hague, Netherlands, 8th December 2007

Killurin 3-13   1-10 County Europe
“Killurin, winners of the Leinster Special Junior Club Hurling Championship defeated a brave ‘County Europe’  in the Historic Away Leinster Final  held in The Hague, The Netherlands on Saturday December 8th” reports Siasy Collins, Editor of EuropeanIrish.com.

There was no shortage of skill and clash of the ash on display, as Killurin and Europe played out a keenly contested close first half. Just a single point separated the sides at half time.
Played over the full hour, Europe team which although fit, had not played together as a competitive team before, and is used to playing the European Championship over shorter 2 20-minute halves.
The more experience of the Killurin club side from Offaly began to tell late in the second half. Having whipped to a 3 point lead 1-13 to 1-10 with a few minutes left in the match, they finished the stronger with 2 dynamite late goals, to an overall win 3-13 to Europe’s 1-10. Maastricht based Hurling referee was Tony Bass.

 “As the winners of the 2007 European Hurling Championship, Den Haag GAA Club of The Netherlands, one of the longest established and most successful GAA clubs on mainland Europe, were awarded the honour of hosting Killurin and Europe in this first ever match by a mainland Europe Hurling team in the Leinster Championship series.”, says Marie Sheehan, Den Haag GAA Club PRO. “County Europe team comprised hurlers from clubs in Brussels, Paris, Luxembourg, Zurich and host club Den Haag.”

“European County Board (ECB) currently encompasses 27 clubs in 13 countries speaking 11 different languages with over 600 male and 170 female adult players, which is an increase of 28% on two years ago! The largest clubs in Europe being Paris, Luxembourg, Munich & The Hague but all still have less than 100 members each. “ stated Eileen Jennings, Chairperson of the ECB.

Killurin from Offaly were crowned Leinster Special Junior Club Hurling Champions when they defeated Park Ratheniska from Laois on November 18th. On December 8th they added the first Away Leinster Special Junior Club Title to their honours.

www.EuropeanIrish.com

The Hague, Netherlands, 8th December 2007

Killurin 3-13   1-10 County Europe
“Killurin, winners of the Home Leinster Special Junior Club Hurling Championship defeated a brave  “County Europe”  in the Historic Away Leinster Final held in The Hague, The Netherlands on Saturday December 8th” reports Siasy Collins, Editor of EuropeanIrish.com - the resource for Irish people living in Contiental Europe.

Hurling is one of Ireland’s two national sports, and is currently also played in Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) clubs across Continental Europe – in Brussels, Paris, Luxembourg, Zurich, Den Haag, Maastricht, Amsterdam, Groningen,  Munich, Dusseldorf, Budapest, Vienna, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Knn Croatia and Llati Finland. Gaelic Football, Ireland’s other National Sport is also played in Sweden, Czech Republic and Portugal.

Played at lightening speed, hurling is similar to hockey, played on a sports field, and the players can pickup the ‘sliotar’ (ball) and strike it long distances with the hurley. With ‘H’ shaped goals, 3 points are awarded for a Goal under the crossbar, and 1 point for a score over the crossbar and between the posts. The match is played with 15 players per side, a standard club match lasting 60 minutes, played in 2 halves.

“As the winners of the 2007 European Hurling Championship, Den Haag GAA Club of The Netherlands, one of the longest established and most successful GAA clubs on mainland Europe, were awarded the honour of hosting Killurin and Europe in this first ever match by a mainland Europe Hurling team in the Leinster Championship series (Leinster is an Irish Province)”, says Marie Sheehan, Den Haag GAA Club PRO. “County Europe team comprised hurlers from clubs in Brussels, Paris, Luxembourg, Zurich and host club Den Haag.”

There was no shortage of skill and clash of the ash on display, as Killurin and Europe played out a keenly contested close first half.
Just a single point separated the sides at half time.
Played over the full hour, Europe team which although fit, had not played together as a competitive team before, and is used to playing the European Championship over shorter 2 20-minute halves.
The more experience of the Killurin club side from Offaly began to tell late in the second half. Having whipped to a 3 point lead 1-13 to 1-10 with a few minutes left in the match, they finished the stronger with 2 dynamite late goals, to an overall win 3-13 to Europe’s 1-10. Maastricht based Hurling referee was Tony Bass.

“European County Board (ECB) currently encompasses 27 clubs in 13 countries speaking 11 different languages with over 600 male and 170 female adult players, which is an increase of 28% on two years ago! The largest clubs in Europe being Paris, Luxembourg, Munich & The Hague but all still have less than 100 members each.”  stated Eileen Jennings, Chairperson of the ECB.

Killurin from Offaly were crowned Leinster Special Junior Club Hurling Champions when they defeated Park Ratheniska from Laois on November 18th. On December 8th they added the first Away Leinster Special Junior Club Title to their honours.

www.EuropeanIrish.com

Do you think that Gaelic Games should be an Olympic Sport.

Gaelic Football and Hurling are now played in  Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany, France, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic,  Guernsey island, Jersey Island, Hungary, Croatia.

Add in the Asian Gaelic Games, Gaelic Games in Australia, Canada, UK, USA and you find gaelic football and hurling growing in global profile.

http://europeanirish.com

Gaelic Games as an Olympic Sport ?

30th November 2007
At the GAA European County Board Convention, being held in Budapest Hungary on 1st and 2nd December 2007, wording is being agreed to submit a motion to Ireland’s Annual GAA Congress to ‘pursue the recognition of Gaelic Games as an Olympic Sport’.

The motion being submitted by the European County Board looks to establish an International Gaelic Games Federation. This Federation would drive the development of Hurling, Gaelic Football and Camogie across the globe. It would look for recognition as a sport from official authorities in countries where Gaelic Games are played, and pursue the recognition of Gaelic Games as an Olympic Sport.

“This is just one of more than 75 Motions being discussed this weekend at the County convention of the European GAA County Board.” reports Siasy Collins editor of EuropeanIrish.com.

ECB Secretary Tony Bass of Maastricht Gaels explained that “Almost 30 clubs and one national federation …, over 600 men and 200 women played Gaelic Games on European soil during the year”

Chairperson of the ECB Eileen Jennings (Paris Gaels) is delighted “to welcome Helen O’Rourke (Ladies Football Association), Pat Toner (GAA Overseas Committee) and GAA club development personnel Con Hogan, Pat Fitzgerald and Kieran Leddy from Ireland and all European Club delegates to the 2007 ECB convention”
Delegates from every club arrive in Budapest Hungary for the weekend which comprises of a GAA Club Development Training Seminar, a Games Workshop, and the ECB Convention.

Follow a morning Training Seminar, the Convention opens at 16:30 on Saturday 1st December, with reports from the Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer. The election of 2008 officers and voting on ECB Motions continues on Sunday from 10:00.

European County Board (ECB) is an official Gaelic Athletics Association County, under Croke Park (Dublin, Ireland) and the Leinster Council, similar to Kilkenny County Board or Dublin County Board.
In fact, Killurin from Offaly ,  Leinster Special Junior Club Hurling Champions  travel to The Netherlands next weekend December 8th and will take on County Europe – a team comprising hurlers from Brussels, Paris, Luxembourg, Zurich and host club Den Haag, in the away final of the Leinster Special Junior Club Hurling Championship.

Read More on European GAA at www.EuropeanIrish.com

Last weekend in Maastricht, Gaelic football clubs from across the continent sent their coaches to Maastricht, for a coaching couse targeted at those who would like to introduce those interested in bringing gaelic football into schools. The principal objective is to qualify coaches to teach 8-12 y.o’s.

From Dublin 2 top tutors from the gaelic games in Ireland, new Hurling Development manager with Dublin, selector on their senior team, former Dublin hurling goalkeeper and one of the first full-time coaches in the GAA - Damian Byrne.

The 2nd coach Ken Fitzgerald is also a full-time coach, with both a leading Dublin Club football side, and a third level Colleges Football team.

The course had both a theory and a practical skills session.

This is the 2nd recent Coaching course in Continental Europe, one in October was held in Brittany France for the Gaelic Football Clubs that play in that championship.

Gaelic football was played in Brittany last weekend by 4 teams with no Irish players.
“With 4 teams in the Brittany Gaelic Football Championship, and 2 new emerging clubs, Gaelic Football is taking on a world of its own,” according to Siasy Collins of EuropeanIrish.com
There is no english spoken. GAA Clubs de Bretagne have websites entirely in French.
These clubs simply have a passion for playing Gaelic Football.

This week, the second round of the Championnat de Bretagne was played in Brest, with the hosts playing Rennes, Sens de Bretagne and Nantes, each fielding 11-a-side teams, in a round-robin League format.
In Brittany, new teams are building in Vannes and Monterfil.

“Sens de Bretagne won the tournament. We (Brest) were second with a lot a new players, who only started Gaelic Football two months ago. Rennes are 3rd and Nantes were 4th.” Gaetan Danet, secretary of Bro-Leon Brest Gaelic Football Club.

Results
Brest 1-0 - 7-4 Sens de Bretagne
Rennes 1-1 - 1-0 Nantes

Nantes 1-0 - 3-1 Brest
Brest 3-3 - 3-0 Rennes

Rennes 1-0 - 3-0 Sens de Bretagne
Sens 3-3 - 1-0 Nantes.
de Bretagne
Round 2 (17 November)
1st Sens de Bretagne
2nd Brest
3rd Rennes
4th Nantes

Round 1 in Rennes (20 October):
1.Sens de Bretagne
2.Rennes
3.Nantes
4.Brest.

more details on http://www.EuropeanIrish.com