GAELIC SPORTS WORLD Issue 19 – February 7, 2015 | Page 8

Mens Team (Photo: Ottawa Gaels GAA)

The club welcomes Irish immigrants but is also very conscious of reaching out and developing Gaelic football in Canada’s capital whose population is over 1 million people and
whose roots are French and Irish. While Irish immigrants
led things in the early years of the club over time the club has
evolved into more of a Canadian look.
“With respect to the men’s team they are mostly Canadian. We
have a few Irish men who bring their experience but we’ve recruited many Canadians for the men’s side.
“In terms of the women’s, right now we are fully functional with
Canadian players. Through the years we have had Irish players,
but the women’s team is fully Canadian right now,” noted the
club chairperson.

8

WOMEN’S ACHIEVEMENTS
Indeed, the Ladies side of things over the years has seen
a greater amount of on the field accolades than their male
counterparts. The Ottawa Gaels women’s team competing in
the Toronto Division holds an enviable record of achievements with 7 championship titles and 6 league wins between
1994 and 2008. The ladies won a fantastic back-to- back Toronto Championship and League doubles in 2001-200, and
won a championship treble in 2006-2008. The men have not
had as much success on the field but did garner championship victories in the first five years of the new millennium
and more recently took the season opener at the Montreal
Tournament back in 2012. The men’s team also believes in
team and player development.