Firstly let me give you a brief introduction to the sport that I refer to as GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association). The GAA is an Irish sporting organization, now open to both Men and Women, which was first set up in 1884 when a group of Irishmen gathered in Thurles, Co. Tipperary to establish an organisation to foster and preserve Ireland‘s unique games and athletic pastimes. Since then it has grown and grown, leading to it now being widely represented all over the world, from Europe to Asia, Middle East to Africa, America to South America.
The GAA has 2 strings to it’s bow, Gaelic Football (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaelic_football) & Hurling (Widely regarded as the fastest and most skillful game in world sport). We, the Slovak Shamrocks GAA Club play the former, Gaelic Football. Gaelic Football is a mixture of many sports such as Handball, Basketball, Rugby, Australian Football and Soccer, all combined to create this unique and brilliant Irish sport.
SLOVAK SHAMROCKS GAA CLUB
The Slovak Shamrocks GAA Club was first founded, here in beautiful Bratislava, in the year 2011 by a band of irish men who wanted to share the beloved sport with Slovakia. Since our inception in 2011, we have grown immensley year on year. Since 2011, we have been taken on many journies to play tournaments and promote the sport all over Europe, to places such as Warsaw, Berlin, Prague, Munich, Padoiva, Masstricht and of course our near neighbours Vienna.
From borrowing jerseys in 2011 from the local Slovan Bratislava Rugby Klub, we now own, through the amazing support from Goblins Pub Bratislava, the classiest GAA strips in Europe. Trophy cabinet still needs filling, but 2016 is our year!
HELLO LADIES
2013 was a big breakthrough year for us, as this was when we established our Ladies GAA Team, otherwise known as the Ladybirds. They have since gone to do us proud and have rown, not year on year, but week on week and now stand on the brink of bringing some shiny new silverware back to Bratislava.
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AGUS CRAIC
Who plays the on the team here you may ask? Well, we are very proud of our all inclusive nature and our teams, both Men & Women, have consisted of many people from many corners of the earth such as, America, Brazil, Italy, France, Finland, Norway, New Zealand, Wales, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Rep of Ireland, Moldova and of course Slovakia.
WANT TO BE PART OF THE SLOVAK SHAMROCKS GAA FAMILY?
So if you want to come and try out this wonderful sport, meet some amazing people, just have fun and be part of the Slovak Shamrock GAA Family, please feel free to come along to our trainings at TRI VEZE Bajkalská (Pitch is located behind the 3 Towers), Saturday at 12.00 pm.
For more information, please check out our website http://www.bratislavagaa.com/ or you can also find us on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/SlovakShamrocksGAA/ and keep up to date with all our activities and training updates. Alternatively you can contact me, Ciaran Halley, at crnhalley@yahoo.com.
2016 plans to be another exciting year in the Slovak Shamrocks, so we’d love you to be part of that journey with us!
As we say in Ireland, Slán Go Fóill!
Dakujem,
Ciarán