Action from the 2024 Gaelic Games Europe Féile hosted by the Keltoi Vigo club in Galicia, Spain.
By John Harrington
The growing popularity of Gaelic games in Europe was very much in evidence in Vigo at the weekend when the Galician city hosted the third GGE European Youth Féile.
11 teams from seven different countries participated in what was a real festival of Gaelic football.
“It was a brilliant weekend and it’s getting bigger all the time,” says GGE Youth Officer, Pearse Bell.
“The number of teams participating has more than doubled in the last three years and we see the trend continuing in the next few years.
“We had six new youth clubs set up this year alone in Europe. It's growing very quickly and we need to get a handle on it and try to figure out how we can cater for everybody's needs which is a good headache to have.
“It was a great success and makes all the hard work worthwhile. The question now is how we continue building into the future because it's become one of the main highlights of GGE's calendar year.
“We're building something that's remarkable throughout the world of GAA. It's unheard of I think anywhere else to have 11 youth teams from seven different countries come together in a festival of our games and culture. It's a remarkable journey for everybody.”
The EC Gaelic Club Brussels players celebrate after winning the 2024 Gaelic Games Europe Féile Final.
Five Galician teams teams participated in this year’s Féile, which is a vivid illustration of how much of a hot-bed of youth participation in Gaelic games the Spanish region has become.
"Yeah, it has,” says Bell. “It's similar to all around Europe, you're wondering where will it stop. There doesn't seem to be a glass ceiling in Europe at the moment.
“They're doing fantastic work in Galicia and the hosts, Keltoi Viga, were amazing. They put on a great show and catered for everybody brilliantly.
“There were more European native players at this year's Féile than first or second generation Irish. It goes to show you it's not just Irish kids that are playing, it's kids with no link to Ireland.”
Some of the Vannes GAA club players celebrate with their medals after winning the Plate Final at the 2024 Gaelic Games Europe Féile.
The Féile shield final was contested by EC Gaelic Club Brussels and Xelmirez from Galica with the Belgian side eventually coming out on top after a great game of football, while the Plate final was won by a talented Vannes team that included five girls.
“I found it fitting that Brussels won the Feile having had an added incentive to bring the cup home as Liam Breslin, a long time member of the club and an advocate for youth development hasn’t been well this past year and couldn't be with us on the day,” says Breslin.
“I was delighted as well that the number of girls participating rose by 20 per cent this year, that’s another real success story.
“It was a great experience for all the players to test themselves against teams from other countries because every region and country has its own different styles of playing.
“The Spanish kids were very fast and skilful whereas our guys and the Brussels guys would hold the ball a bit more and circulate it until they can find openings. So you can definitely see the different styles of play and it's obviously and extension of different cultures. It's fantastic.”
Uachtarán CLG, Jarlath Burns, giving some words of wisdom to the Gaelic Games Europe players.
The medals were handed by Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael, Jarlath Burns, who was given a few other jobs on the day too!
“Yeah, Jarlath came over, it was brilliant to have him there, and we managed to reel him in and get his hands dirty," says Bell.
“He was fantastic. He did some coaching with the Gaelic Games Europe team. He had the Bainisteoir cap on him and all and was dishing out medals and he just didn't stop all day. He was fantastic.”