GAELIC SPORTS WORLD Issue 16 - December 19, 2014 | Page 10

of Gaelic Games, and added that it was particularly fitting
given the location of the GAA World Games in Abu Dhabi.

have played basketball, they bring different approaches to passing and how the game is played.

WORLD CUP FOR ALL

“We have found that Americans playing hurling are prepared
to strike the ball on the ground and strike the ball in the air, it’s
not the possession game that we play here. They bring moves
from Lacrosse and hockey into our games as well. So I think
that that sort of cross pollination is going to benefit the games.”

Gaelic Sports World later spoke to the GAA president and
began by asking what this event meant for the GAA.
“It’s the start of the internationalization of Gaelic Games, in
a sense that teams will at some stage see players that are born
outside of Ireland playing Gaelic Games for their countries.
“The Middle East County Board have taken a very brave step
in organizing the first event and we’re delighted that they’ve
done it. This is something that has happened naturally. The international units and the Middle East wanted to do this.”
O’Neill said that the GAA will be supporting the initiative in
every way, initially in liaising with sponsors and helping with
the costs of the event. The president went on to talk about the
GAA World Games importance for non-Irish players.
“We will have Irish people playing in this, people who are
long term year Irish residents in the units that they are taking
part, and the fact that we will have people born outside Ireland
making up the teams, I think it’s indicative that our games are
not just for Irish people but for people who want to play Gaelic
games,” the president emphasised.
“The event also shows the strength of the international units
who are starting this competition independently of us here in
Croke Park. I think that’s significant that we know that we have
the capacity in our international units to do events like this.”
Mr. O’Neill said different nationalities bring different skillsets from other sports into Gaelic Games.
“I think that it is very positive that already we see that players
who play other sports bring skillsets from a particular sport.
It’s very evident in players who play Gaelic football and who

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The GAA president also spoke of being prepared to meet the
challenges of having other cultures play the sports and the opportunity thereof to showcase the country as a whole to the
world through Gaelic Games.
“We’ll be challenged as an organization from the point that
they [non-Irish players] will see it as a sports organization, they
won’t see the cultural end in maybe the same way as people born
in Ireland. We are going to have to adapt to that and recognize
that people of other cultures will bring their culture and their
language to the games as well.”
“We are going to open up in different ways. It will never threaten what we have here but I think Ireland through its games will
be seen as an open society around the world and that has to be
positive for us.”
MILESTONE OF FIRST GAMES
Middle East GAA Chairperson, James Kennedy, opened proceedings at the event launch and afterwards spoke to Gaelic
Sports World on the event’s importance.
“Today is a milestone for the international [GAA] game across
the globe. It is fantastic to be here in the home of the GAA in
Croke Park launching the first international GAA World Games.
“I think that we will look back on this in years to come and
think what a great day it is for the GAA. “We have 24 teams coming from all around the world in Abu Dhabi in March. Men’s and
ladies Gaelic Football will be played and I think that it’s quite