GAELIC SPORTS WORLD Issue 16 - December 19, 2014 | Page 8

Gaelic Sports World was at the launch and Middle East
GAA Secretary, Paddy Darcy, who spoke about the format of
the competition, later broke down the event details. We first
began by asking Mr. Darcy on the significance of the event
and its historic nature.

Mr. Darcy said that the format will see the World Games
first focus on group stages run on a round-robin system,
while the second day’s action features the knockout stages in
a primary international World Cup. There will also be a secondary Plate competition.

“It is a big undertaking. It is the first ever international
GAA world games. It is long overdue and something that
can be really built on for the future.”

The competition begins on Friday March 6th and at the Group
stages teams of 9-aside in men’s and ladies Gaelic football will
take to the field. Each team will have a panel of 12 and will

Middle East GAA had presented the
idea for a first World GAA games to GAA
President Liam O’Neill, one year ago.
Said Darcy, “it has taken a lot of hard
work since then but in reality, it is two
years of work coming together. So it’s
great to see at last it materialize.” He went
on to say how he hoped the first games
could be a springboard to something bigger.
“What we would like to see coming out
of this is that the GAA would take this inhouse and that it would become a much
bigger event. It would be something that
would happen every two years at a rotating venue. Next year it’s at Abu Dhabi,
next year it would be at New York, four
years’ time Melbourne and so on,” he explained.

Gaelic Games action at the Zayed Sports City complex in Abu Dhabi. (Photo: Abu
Dhabi na Fianna)

“It would really bring the games around the world [and]
not just to the Irish ex-pats but to the entire world of the
games.”
It is envisaged that with time, the games would incorporate Irish teams as well as those from Britain, for an overall
‘World Cup’ type event. Liam O’Neill said at the launch that
such a prospect was “not that far away.”

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be allowed to use three substitutions. The finals will then take
place on Saturday with the primary World Games ‘Cup’ down
for decision and as well as a secondary Plate competition.
Over the weekend there will also be exhibition games of
Camogie, Handball and Rounders as well as hurling from
round 3 of the ongoing Middle East GAA League.”