GAELIC SPORTS WORLD Issue 20 – February 22, 2015 | Page 17

This country is the latest edition to the GAA’s broadening international units and was founded in 2010 by English native,
Paul Carpenter and County Tyrone born, Hannah Oguz.
Known as the South Africa Gaels, the men’s and ladies teams
draw players from the Pretoria and Johannesburg regions.
In November 2013, the South African Gaelic Sports Association was formed with a mission for the development of
Gaelic Sports in South Africa through the rollout of a Grass
Roots Development Programme.
South Africa Gaels since their foundation have gained valuable tournament match-play when competing in the Middle
East’s Dubai Gulf Games and also when visiting Ireland in a
week-long tour last March. South Africa mean business for
as well as heading to the World Games they are undertaking
another coaching and training tour of Ireland the week prior
to the games. The Irish visit should be a perfect primer for
the International World Cup.
The selection process for both male and female was through
training and games. Players were also chosen on account of
being able to travel and commit financially. The Men’s Team
are South African natives mainly from the townships. The
Ladies team are students from Pretoria and from townships
in Tembisa and Pretoria Central and with one Irish player.
Six weeks of training took place at the end of last year and
since January there have been three sessions per week with
the women’s team and once a week for the men’s team who
have been playing longer than the ladies. The coaches of
the two teams are Sean Doherty (Men’s Team) and Hannah
Oguz (Ladies Team) with Dave Burke, David Devine and
Paul Carpenter acting a ́