GAELIC SPORTS WORLD Issue 18 – January 24, 2015 | Page 10

In Scotland there is a growing interest in Gaelic Sports. There
are five adult football clubs and most of these have developing underage sections. Scotland run men’s and ladies football
leagues with the men’s top team Dunedin Connelly’s who won
both the league and the championship. Dalriada GFC finished
in the runners-up spots in both events and will be looking to
push for more in 2015. Dunedin also proved best in the ladies
four team events. As mentioned the Scotland football team
had a good year when winning the British Inter-County Junior Championship and this victory should see them improve
further this year barring player flight.
There is also a growing British Universities GAA scene with
winter leagues taking place the length and breadth of the
country and as well as big championship tournament events.
Over the past 20 years, Gaelic football has taken root at many
UK colleges and more recently the trend has continued in
hurling and camogie. Each season there is huge competition
at regional and national levels both in men’s and ladies competitions with universities from Liverpool, London and Scotland the annual favourites for national trophies.
LONDON
Britain GAA’s biggest county is London with some 32
clubs fielding teams at various grades. London GAA has
gotten off to the best possible
start in 2015 in news this week
that they have been given the
go-ahead as regards planning
permission towards redevelopment of their headquarters Emerald GAA Grounds
at Ruislip. Subject to GLA
(Greater London Authority)
approval, work can now begin
on the £4.17 million develop-

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Photo: Declan Flanagan

ment which will see a 3,900 capacity modern stand, terracing and be fully enclosed bringing it up to the level of county
standard facilities in Ireland.
While the London season will begin proper with the start of
the National Leagues in Ireland over the next two weekends,
London clubs go straight into action this weekend Sat 24th.
This will see a Preliminary London Senior Football clash between last year’s county finalists, Fulham Irish against Kingdom Kerry Gaels. The early round was brought in the past few
years to qualify new club players for the London team in that
they must have played in the county. It’s hard to say how this
one will pan out as it is so early in the season with club teams
likely to change dramatically over the summer with fresh arrivals. Fulham Irish last year fared better in the senior league
than KKG, as they again made the final, but again, just lost out
to their championship foes, Tir Chonaill Gaels.
Tir Chonaill, a club that also has a good youth set-up,
having won both competitions last year will be looking
for more of the same in 2015 and they remain the team to