Fastest growing GAA area in the world

[Any craic]

The fastest area for growth of the GAA is in the Middle East. This year alone, they hosted and won the first World Games in both Ladies and mens football, plus this recent video is from the Bahrain Games where 1200 players took part.. think about that, 1200 players who mostly flew into the island of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf to play hurling, camogie and football. It was the biggest ever gathering of GAA players outside of Ireland and the States.. http://www.gaa.ie/gaa-news-and-videos/news-archive/1112150944-video-2015-bahrain-gaelic-games-festival-report/

[larryin89]

Wow,that is impressive . Fair play to all involved

[armaghniac]

Most if these are blow ins, growth achieved by taking players from other clubs is no great gain to the GAA.

[larryin89]

Most if these are blow ins, growth achieved by taking players from other clubs is no great gain to the GAA.

?

[Eamonnca1]

The fastest area for growth of the GAA is in the Middle East. This year alone, they hosted and won the first World Games in both Ladies and mens football, plus this recent video is from the Bahrain Games where 1200 players took part.. think about that, 1200 players who mostly flew into the island of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf to play hurling, camogie and football. It was the biggest ever gathering of GAA players outside of Ireland and the States.. http://www.gaa.ie/gaa-news-and-videos/news-archive/1112150944-video-2015-bahrain-gaelic-games-festival-report/

Not to rain on your parade, Jerome, but I would have thought it was a toss-up between Brittany and Galicia where there's new clubs springing up left right and centre. It's absolutely exploding there are the minute, and to the point above about blow-ins, just about all of that growth is from locally-born players. I could be wrong but I'd be interested in seeing the numbers.

[From the Bunker]

Most if these are blow ins, growth achieved by taking players from other clubs is no great gain to the GAA.

?

What he is saying is that this 'growth' is only because some other club(s) lost players. For example, if Doha gained 100 GAA players in 2015, they are GAA players that Donegal, Leitrim, Waterford & Laois will have lost. Therefore the overall gain of the GAA is actually zero.

(I'm only explaining my understanding of what he's saying. I don't know how the growth was measured, nor care tbh).

Yes, but I've often found that many that play when abroad often don't play the game at home and never would. The standard of skill suits them and it is a social outlet. So there is a gain really.

[armaghniac]

There is a lot good about these clubs, but their increase also reflects increased emigration, often from quite small places with struggling clubs.

[blewuporstuffed]

There is a lot good about these clubs, but their increase also reflects increased emigration, often from quite small places with struggling clubs.

True, but surely its a positive that when they do emigrate , that there is an outlet for Gaelic games for them in different places all over the world.
Those small clubs will always lose players due to emigration (my own is good example) but at least with the game developing abroad, they still have the opportunity to partake and maybe if they do return home, will still have been an active player.

[Any craic]

Eamonn, yeah Galicia and Brittany are going well. I visited Brittany this year and I filmed with Galicia at the World Games, but the Middle East clubs are unbelievable. One club, Abu Dhabi, flew 240 players to the one Tournament in Bahrain. They are mainly Irish but serious numbers.