The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) is Ireland’s largest sporting organisation. It is celebrated as one of the great amateur sporting associations in the world. It is part of the Irish consciousness and plays an influential role in Irish society that extends far beyond the basic aim of promoting Gaelic games.
The Association today promotes Gaelic games such as Hurling, Football, Handball and Rounders and works with sister organisations to promote Ladies Football and Camogie. The Association also promotes Irish music, song and dance and the Irish language as an integral part of its objectives. The GAA has remained an amateur Association since its founding. Players, even at the highest level, do not receive payment for playing and the volunteer ethos remains one of the most important aspects of the GAA.
The role of the Australasian association has grown immensely in recent years in the administration and promotion of Gaelic games. Developments include a Level 1 Coaching Course in Gaelic Football and a seperate one for hurling. Subsequent to this was the appointment of Coaching Directors in each Australian States, a one-day Referees Course to secure more qualified referees and the construction of the association’s website and more lately Facebook to cater for the number of people using social media. As a result of these initiatives there has been more than a doubling of the number of teams competing in Gaelic Games including Camogie over the last couple of years.
The first Interstate Football and Hurling Championship was played between NSW, Victoria and South Australia in 1971 in Melbourne. This has now developed into an annual competition, held every October in one of the affiliated State capitals. The Australasian Games are played over five days across all codes; Senior Men’s Football, Minor Football, Ladies Football, Hurling and Camogie, involving up to 650 players. The tournament concludes with a Gala Presentation Dinner at which the Australasian All Stars are named in each of the five codes.
There are now almost 4,000 players involved in Gaelic games in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Hobart, Darwin, Canberra, Tasmania, Wellington and Christchurch and this year we have been fortunate enough to be hosting the games in our home of Queensland Gaelic Games, Willawong.
We require sponsorship to ensure that all who attend enjoy the experience and see Queensland as the GAA stronghold that we are. If you would like to discuss sponsorship options please reach out via the email provided below
eimearoflynn@qgfha.com