British GAA in Westminster

Started by theticklemister, January 27, 2018, 03:15:00 PM

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theticklemister

It has clubs in locations as incongruous as Gaza and Indonesia but the GAA is about to take its cause to its unlikeliest location yet: the Palace of Westminster.

The British parliament is to host the association tomorrow for the first time after years of gradual rapprochement between the GAA and British institutions.

More than 100 members of the association, including Paraic Duffy, the director-general, the outgoing president Aogán Ó Fearghail and his successor, John Horan, will attend a dinner for its British council in the House of Commons members' dining room. Adrian O'Neill, the Irish ambassador to Britain, is also expected to attend.

The event will be hosted by the Northern Irish Labour MP Conor McGinn. It comes amid growing concerns over the impact of Brexit and the funding of the games in the UK in the absence of a Stormont execuGaelic games are unrecognised and unfunded by British sporting bodies outside of Northern Ireland despite their popularity among the diaspora. The impasse at Stormont and continued absence of an assembly has led to the association's decision to come to Westminster to advocate for such causes directly. Cross-party delegations of Oireachtas members have also made frequent visits, meeting MPs and ministers, to work towards solutions on Brexit and communicate an Irish perspective.

Mr McGinn , calling for the British government to give formal recognition and funding to the GAA, said: "The GAA in Britain has been a home from home for the countless young men and women who have emigrated to Britain over the years.

"It also provides the chance to second and third-generation Irish who were born in Britain to express their identity through these games. The association makes a major contribution to society in Britain and it is right for it to be recognised.

"I have campaigned to get UK government and Sport England recognition and funding for the GAA and its 200 clubs and 9,000 members in England, Scotland and Wales."

Those attending will each receive a print of a painting from the House of Commons art collection that depicts the men behind home rule, including Charles Stewart Parnell and Archbishop Croke. A replica hangs in Leinster House.tive or sitting nationalist MPs at Westminster.

Senior figures within the GAA, including Brian McAvoy, its Ulster secretary, who will also attend the event, have warned that Brexit could have serious consequences for Gaelic games in border communities. There is also continuing conflict over Troubles legacy issues, and questions from the nationalist community remain over cases involving GAA members, such as the killings of Aidan McAnespie in Tyrone in 1988 and Sean Brown in Derry in 1997.



T Fearon

Weren't there Senior GAA officials including the President dining with Her Majesty at Windsor Castle during Michael D's State Visit a few years ago?

T Fearon

Also Conor Mc Ginn is the son of a Camlough South Armagh man who I know well.

With the Wembley tournaments in the 50s and 60s etc I think the GAA has been well received in Britain.This event should strengthen links

Eamonnca1

Quote from: T Fearon on January 27, 2018, 09:32:37 PM
Also Conor Mc Ginn is the son of a Camlough South Armagh man who I know well.

With the Wembley tournaments in the 50s and 60s etc I think the GAA has been well received in Britain.This event should strengthen links

Always has been well received. First-time viewers of the sports love them.

Orior

Quote from: T Fearon on January 27, 2018, 09:32:37 PM
Also Conor Mc Ginn is the son of a Camlough South Armagh man who I know well.

With the Wembley tournaments in the 50s and 60s etc I think the GAA has been well received in Britain.This event should strengthen links

Did Down play Kerry at Wembley in the late 1960's?
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T Fearon

They played at Wembley not sure if it was Kerry or Galway or both.A Down player scored a hattrick.His name escapes me.

T O Hare

Patsy O'Hagan from Clonduff, reputedly the first Irish man to score a Garrick at Wembley.
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