- Bonnie Breslin, Geraldine Conway, Eileen Ludden, Maria Ludden, and Catherine MacGabhann who did a truly fantastic day's work providing food and drink for the players and supporters who attended.
- To Jimmy Conway who manned the till for the food and drink for the day
- and to young Eamon Conway who ferried water all day long from the kitchens to players dehydrated by the seriously high temperatures).
- To the Irish Club of Belgium for their co-operation in the running of this event back-to-back with the Irish Sports Day at the same venue the following day.
- To Dave McCreanney of the British School of Brussels for his help, not only in getting the excellent BSB facilities ready for this Tournament, but also for the facilities used for both adults and kids GAA over the past few months.
- To the Finnegan Brothers whose Perpetual Cup continues to be used to promote the GAA in Brux even though their business interests took them home to Galway some months ago. To the 5 visiting teams who travelled to Brux from 4 other countries, especially Brest Celtic which had an 8-hour drive from Brittany to get here.
- To the Wild Geese Bar (owner Dave Lawlor, manager John McNena & all the staff) which had already on Fri sponsored a meal for the visiting under-age Dublin under-age players and who did not close the doors too early on Sun morning.
- Finally, to GAA HQ in Croke Park which sent Barney Winston, Chairman of the GAA's International Committee, across to support the Tournament & our efforts to promote Gaelic games in Brux, provided an excellent referee for the day in Gay McCabe of the Thomas Davis GAA Club in Tallaght (Tom Ryan from the Dublin County Board, here with visiting under-age Dubs, ably deputised to give him the odd break) and sponsored two fine sets of medals for the Tournament Winners and Runners-up.
TOURNAMENT ITSELF OK,
tThe summary is that the Brussels Gaelic Club won it but the reality is that we needed not one but several miracles to make this happen.
For the details read on ...
GROUP 1
Brussels GC 3--3 .......... The Hague 1--6;
Luxembourg GC 0--4 .......... Brest Celtic 0--3
Brussels GC 4--6 .......... Brest Celtic 1--1;
The Hague 3--5 .......... Luxembourg GC 1--4;
Luxembourg GC 3--5 .......... Brussels GC 1--5;
The Hague 0--9 .......... Brest Celtic 0--3.
Group 1 was an extremely close run thing. In its first game, Brux were outplayed by The Hague but then scored 2--1 in the final 2 minutes to change a 4-point deficit into a 3-point win. In its second game, Brux got all the breaks against Brest and won well - the other event of note was the first ever GAA yellow card flashed in Brux (to Paul, Brux GC's Cavan man naturally !).
In its third game, Brux over-confidence proved misplaced as Luxembourg raced into a big lead and, though we later got back level, then missed a penalty (hope Antrim hurl better than this was kicked by Conor O'K !) and conceded 2 late goals to lose badly in the end.
Results elsewhere meant that score difference (totted up by impartial GAA HQ visitor Barney Winston) decided the Group 1 winner and Tournament finalist and it came down to Brux and The Hague.
Ominously for Brux, The Hague went into its last game with Brest Celtic with the luxury of knowing that it had to win by 8 points or better to qualify for the Final. But the very fit and determined Brest panel (comprising 3 Irish and 7 Breton players whose names would test even the great O'Muircheadaigh ! ! !) had other ideas and scored 2 late points to limit The Hague to a 6-point win. Bottom line, the Brussels score difference of 3--2 pipped The Hague's 0--10 by a single point to get us into the Final. Indeed, if the additional point had not also been scored by Brux right at the end of the first game with The Hague, the latter would have qualified by a point over us (0-11 to 3--1).
GROUP 2
Paris Gaels 1--9 .......... Wild Geese Bar (Brux) 2--1;
Dusseldorf 3--5 .......... Paris Gaels 3--3;
Dusseldorf 4--4 .......... Wild Geese Bar (Brux) 1--2;
Paris Gaels 2--9 ......... Sin E Bar (Brux) 0--5;
Wild Geese Bar (Brux) 2--4 .......... Sin E Bar (Brux) 0--3;
Dusseldorf 0--4 .......... Sin E Bar (Brux) 0--2. .
No mathematical genius needed here, Dusseldorf won all 3 games and qualified outright. (including a narrow win over pre-Tournament favourites Paris). But nevertheless, there was plenty of Brussels interest.
The incredible saves made by TJ, the Wild Geese goalie, against Paris were memorable. Then there was the "battle of the bars" between the Wild Geese and Sin E which left the Geese cackling loudest. Another feature was Sin E's performance holding Dusseldorf to its lowest score of the day in any match including the final (indeed, a missed Sin E penalty cost them the game - and also cost Paris the second Final spot it might have had with its far better score difference than Dusseldorf ...).
FINAL BETWEEN GROUP WINNERS Brussels GC 2--7 ........... Dusseldorf 1--4;
The proverbial game of 2 halves. In the first, Dusseldorf set the pace including scything through for a real cracker of an early goal but Brux managed to steady themselves to trail 1--3 to 0-3 at half-time. In the second half, despite playing into the breeze, Brux finally got serious, took the bit between their teeth and heavily outscored Dusseldorf to end up well in front and Tournament Winners. The Cup was presented to Brux captain Cathal Lynch by Barney Winston Chairman of the GAA's International Committee (Liam Breslin says he never thought a Leitrim man would ever lift a Cup, I told him Westmeath's average of 2 Cups in the 1990s for the entire Millennium is just about right too ...).
For the record, the full Brux panel managed by the same Westmeath "Bres" was long-time Brux GC players Roger Cogan, Conor Leeson, John Ludden, Cathal Lynch, Conor O'Kane, Adrian Silke and Paul Staunton and several newcomers to Brux who all work with Colgate-Palmolive on the Boulevard de la Woluwe - Simon Holohan, Donal Hussey, John Leamy, Shane Nerney and Gerard Ryan. Every panel player was called upon to play repeatedly, unlimited rotation of knackered/injured players is the norm in Sevens GAA, especially so on a day as hot as Sat was (the Dublin visitors, some of whom were at the Luxembourg Sevens on an equally good day on Sat 29 May, actually believe we always have good weather here in Costa del Benelux ! ! !).
Proceedings then adjourned to dinner where the Winners and Finalists were presented with medals to mark the occasion. All then adjourned to the Wild Geese for 1 or 2 beers ... some might even have had 3 ! ! ! COMMENT The EC Gaelic Club in Brussels is happy with the outcome of the day. By any reckoning, having 80 to 90 Gaelic non-Ireland-based footballers playing a Tournament here in Brux is noteworthy. As we discovered as novices at the Luxembourg Tournament on 29 May last, these games are no gentle strolls and kick-abouts in the sun either. There and on Sat last, the pace was fast & furious and we all rediscovered that the GAA is very much a physical contact game as evidenced by sore and tired bodies on Sun and Mon morning (even Tue for me !).
Games were very competitive but fairly so with only a couple of bookings all day, a level of control facilitated by the presence now at all European Tournaments of leading referees sent from Ireland by GAA HQ.
Our own weekly training sessions throughout May and June helped Brux GC "get the eye in" again, especially lads who hadn't played GAA for some time and this played a significant part in the winning of this Tournament. So that's 2 Tournaments down and 2 more to go on foot of standing invitations to Paris in October and Amsterdam in November. It now looks possible that more than one Brux team might travel as the Wild Geese, having now got a taste for this, has indicated its interest in sending a team to these events also. Our aim this year was to try to restore Gaelic games to its former position as a regular and active sport here in Brux. This was not such a radical notion, given that the GAA had previously been very active in the 70s and 80s but then fell away significantly in the 90s, not least because of the then failure of GAA HQ to link Brux up properly to GAA structures back home.
At the Luxembourg Tournament, GAA President Joe McDonagh readily and publicly acknowledged the GAA's past mistakes in not bringing GAA Units outside Ireland into the fold. He went on that day to spell out its new commitment to supporting individual units and, by November next before the start of the new Millennium, forming a European GAA Board to link us all more firmly together. At any rate, it is very clear to us here in Brux and, I think, to our counterparts in France (Paris, Brest & Lyon), Germany (Dusseldorf, Dresden & Munich), Guernsey, The Hague and Luxembourg that the GAA plans are for real this time and that words are being followed by action.
As far as Brux is concerned, to date Croke Park has provided referees, goalposts, jersies, footballs, medals, coaching manuals, coaching videos, posters and other paraphenalia for both adult and under-age footballers here in Brux. In addition, Croke Park and Dublin County Board between them sponsored the visit of under-age players to play ours and coaching courses aimed specifically at our under-age players are in the pipeline. Naturally we have our own bit to do and sure we have room for improvement but we are making progress
VISIT OF "THE JUNIOR DUBS" TO BRUSSELS
THE VISIT
This past weekend, the Gaelic Club organised a visit to Brussels by fifteen 11-12 year old hurling and footballing boys and girls from Dublin. This visit was sponsored by the Dublin County Board of the GAA and GAA HQ in Croke Park. DCB Officials Gerry Grogan and Tom Ryan accompanied the kids as did Gerry's wife and daughter Billie and Julianne. From Croke Park, Barney Winston Chairman of the GAA's International Committee and senior referee Gay McCabe of the Thomas Davis Club in Tallaght attended as part of their mission to promote Gaelic games outside of Ireland.
THANK YOUs
Once again, a few thank you.s up front. To the Wild Geese Bar in Brussels (especially to owner Dave Lawlor and Manager John McNena) for sponsoring a top-class breakfast-cum-lunch for the kids and accompanying adults on their arrival off the 7am Friday morning flight. To the Barrett, Breslin, Byrne, Keegan, Jarvis, Ludden, Wetzelaar and Wickham families here in Brussels who between them put up all the visiting kids for the weekend. To the ladies who helped on Sat (see list earlier), especially Catherine McGabhann, who on Sat made the necessary arrangements to ensure that all the kids were fed & watered in the busy surrounds of the Sports Day on Sun. Finally, to ALL the Brussels parents for their help and support for the past few months since our first kids GAA outing in Overijse on Sunday 14 March to mark St Patrick's Day 1999.
GAMES
On Saturday, just before the Final of the Inaugural Brussels GAA Sevens Tournament (adults), the Dublin kids played an exhibition game of hurling during which they demonstrated all the skills of this wonderful game to a large crowd of onlookers (including the visiting Tournament teams from Brest, Dusseldorf, Luxembourg, Paris and The Hague).
On Sunday, in the course of the Irish Sports Day jointly run by the Gaelic Club and Irish Club, the Brussels under-age boys and girls played the Dublin visitors in Gaelic football. This was the first competitive match the Brussels boys and girls have had since they started playing Gaelic football back around St Patrick's Day. The visitors started very strong and were well ahead at half time. However, the Brussels boys and girls really got into the swing of things in the second half and lack of real match experience rather than ability meant that they failed to overhaul the young Dubs. After the match, a set of medals sponsored by GAA HQ was distributed to all players and the individual kids swapped presents (GAA videos, mini-kits, posters etc).
FOR THE RECORD
The full Brussels panel for the match against the visitors was:-
- Barry Colfer, Conor Smith, Oisin McArdle, Christian Dunne, Barry Nevin, Marc Ludden, Peter Barrett, Daniel Galvin, Killian Kiely, Gary Wall, Lorna McGrath, Niamh Matthews, Fiona Douglas, Paula McGrath, Colm Byrne, Fionan Smith, Theo Morrissey, Rory Byrne, Niall Kearney, Ruairi Byrne, Cathal O'Luanaigh, Patrick Wall, Kevin Brady, Darren Cunningham, Conor Hayes, Sean Breslin, Larry Doyle and Laura Rossignole.
The visiting kids and their Dublin Schools follows:-
- Claire and Orla Nugent from St Killian's School in Tallaght;
- Martin Hartnett and Stephen Larkin from Bishop Galvin School in Templeogue;
- Ciaran O'Fainin from Scoil Neassain in Harmonstown;
- Thomas Brady and Liam Flaherty from St Patrick's School in Beaumount;
- Michael Rowley, Jack McGuire and Cathal Doyle from St Marnock's School in Portmarnock;
- David Dolan from St Vincent's School in Glasnevin;
- Simon Hughes and Dermot Manley from St Mary's School in Rathfarnham;
- Grainne Ryan from Scoil Mobhi in Glasnevin; and
- Caitriona Nic Reamoinn from Scoil an tSeachtar Laoch in Ballymun.
In true keeping with Dublin's great tradition of one-liners, some of these characters had very sharp observations to make on how poor auld Brussels doesn't quite measure up to the Big Smoke back home:-
- One thought we were a bit behind the times because "People in the street don't seem to have nearly as many mobile phones as people in Dublin";
- Another asked "Why are there so many hucksters shops on the pavement ?" in Rue des Petite Bouchers (I don't think RPB's restaurants, known the world over, would be too impressed with that !); and
- Pride of place goes to the one who commented that "They're not nearly as friendly here towards people parking their cars. Now in Dublin we have these fellas always ready to direct ya into a spot and all ya have to do in return is give them a few bob to stop them breaking your window !"
COMMENT
From the Brussels perspective of a standing start on 14 March, the development on the Brussels under-age GAA front has been very rapid. In the course of a series of Sunday afternoons, the kids were coached in the basics which they picked up very rapidly. On Sat 29 May, they went on the road to play an exhibition match before the Luxembourg Sevens Tournament before a large attendance that included an impressed and enthusiastic GAA President Joe McDonagh. On 10-11 July, the progress was there for all in the Brux Irish Community (and many others) to see.
Indeed, the onlookers on Sunday included representatives of Flemish TV Channel VRT which was there to cover the Sports Day as an Irish cultural event in the wider sense. We have been promised a copy of the footage and have contacted VRT to find out when this is being screened on the box.
Another aspect which we have now to factor in is that these Irish kids have been waxing lyrical about Gaelic football to their friends of all nationalities in their various international & local schools here in Brux. Apparently, many of these friends are now quite intrigued and want to play "this cool new sport" ...
One thing we will be pursuing is an organised under-age coaching schedule with significant input from GAA HQ in Croke Park. Going back to Luxembourg in May, another onlooker was well-known Inter-county referee from Monaghan, Pat McEneaney, who outlined the GAA's coaching programme in detail. Pat has been in contact with us since and, in the quieter period ahead, we will pursue and develop this one ...
In football terms, the standard can only get better especially with the return of some of the young players who had already left on holidays. But clearly, the Brussels players need competitive Gaelic football to polish up the skills they have been learning at training. This is something the Gaelic Club and parents will have to consider further, any or all ideas welcome ...
BREAK UNTIL SEPTEMBER
Re a "quieter period ahead", because of the onset of July/August holiday period, the Sunday under-age Gaelic football is suspended for now and will resume on Sunday 19 September ie. when most parents and kids are back in town (also, this is the Sunday between the All-Ireland Hurling and Football Finals).
