Busy weekend beckons at The Yorkshire Games

By Cian O'Connell

During the past couple of decades, the willingness to develop homegrown talent has been crucial for clubs in Britain GAA.

So, this weekend at The Yorkshire Games is the latest celebration for those passionate about the cause. Yorkshire GAA have invested time and energy into a tournament that takes place on Saturday at the John Charles Centre for Sport in Leeds.

For the past eight years, Michael McIvor has occupied a central role in the progression of St Vincent's club in Sheffield. In recent months, McIvor has added another job, assuming the role of chairperson of Yorkshire GAA.

The Yorkshire Games matters deeply on so many levels. "The thinking behind it was the promotion of youth games, in general, in Yorkshire," McIvor explains.

"It is a big personal project of mine and the new County Board to make this work, to preserve our sport, making sure it continues to be played for a long time in Yorkshire. This was a great opportunity."

The planning and plotting started in Yorkshire. "We spoke with Stephen Lavery, who is the Head of Games Development and Operations for the Britain Council of GAA," McIvor says.

"He has helped us a lot along the way, he has done amazing things throughout Britain since being in that position. He has been a great help to us. After four or five months of hard work, we're on the eve of the Yorkshire Games. We've teams from Warwickshire, Lancashire, and Yorkshire all about to compete in Yorkshire. It is really exciting.

"We've got good sponsors on board, who've helped us to drive things on. We've some fantastic delegates from the clubs, the County Board members themselves have given up time. Gary, the secretary, Niall, the treasurer, Sarah, the children's officer, it has been amazing to see."

McIvor has seen the value of sport as a player, coach, manager, and administrator. "There was almost a fracture in Yorkshire football for a long time, there wasn't any young blood coming through, it is great to see, with most of us in our mid 30s or early 40s, it is nice to see our age group involved," he adds.

"We're at an age where we're stopping playing so we've more time to coach and have meetings. There has been a massive drive on since last year with St Vincent's.

"Clubs have been really responsive, we're starting to see. In Yorkshire, going back just two years ago, you'd only have John F Kennedy's, who've a great underage set-up. Then, you'd have a splattering across Huddersfield because of the great work of the Kitterick brothers did over the years.

"Now, you've Newcastle, who for geographic reasons are in Yorkshire GAA with Cúchulainns and Tír na nÓg, you've St Vincent's, St Benedict's in Leeds starting a youth set-up."

Long term sustainability is crucial according to McIvor. "Nearly all of the clubs have a plan for bringing youth football to a club," he remarks.

"Obviously, a lot of that will have to start through the schooling system in Yorkshire. You catch them young, Gaelic Football is on the curriculum in the UK, but they don't have anywhere to go after, that is the issue. We've to make sure we spend the next five to 10 years, as a county, as clubs marking that pathway out for them.

Clubs are ready, willing, and able to collaborate. "Since the new County Board has come in, we've seen the highest number of attendance at County Board meetings on a monthly basis," McIvor responds.

"We've modernised everything, meetings are on Teams as well as being in person. That is what is needed, it gives people the option. That has helped to make things run smoother.

"There has always been great rivalry in Yorkshire because you've some great clubs. Hugh O'Neill's have won the All-Britain in the past, Newcastle won it, you've had great spells. Now, it is as competitive as ever.

"John F Kennedys have lads coming through who won the Yorkshire League, St Vincent's ladies have won a Yorkshire League this year. There is more of a realisation that it isn't all about your club. If you don't have somebody else to play in the county and if games are starting to drift away from the thoughts of people with kids, then you'll have a case in a few years that you won't have anyone else to play.

"We've all realised that we need to work together to create a better future for every club."

Ensuring that opportunities are afforded to emerging players is significant. "The Yorkshire Games is the goal for us this year," McIvor says.

"It is to get us on the map. That is to show that you've clubs there, schools are playing. There is an option for children, who've never tried the sport before.

"This competition, some of the lads coming from Sheffield had probably never left Sheffield before until earlier this year when they went to Manchester to play in the Northern Games.

"We all look after each other. Nobody is judged. It is all said in our logo, 'Where We All Belong'. The Yorkshire Games alone, the benefits that can come out of it, is just a massive driving force behind my own personal contribution to where we're going to go and how we're going to do things."

McIvor is optimistic about the future, sensing that something is beginning to stir in Yorkshire GAA again. "Some of the bigger counties in Britain, the participation numbers they've in youth are astronomical compared to ours, but everyone has to start somewhere," he says.

"That is now for Yorkshire. We will be driving with this. It won't be the only Yorkshire Games, it is the first Yorkshire Games. It will only get bigger and better from here. I really do have faith in that. With the direction of Stephen Lavery and the people in Britain GAA, Sean Hopkins has been great.

"It is amazing how people in Britain GAA are so proud of their roots, so driven to make sure the GAA is held to its core values, and is spread throughout all aspects of life in terms of football being one thing and the club side is another."

The John Charles Centre for Sport in South Leeds hosts the event. "It is a fantastic venue, it will be something amazing for the children to experience, coming out of the tunnel in a stadium with music," McIvor says.

"The facility is a centre of sport - you've swimming, aquatics, a wide range of indoor and outdoor sports. The pitch is surrounded by an athletics track, it is really amazing, that is a big thanks to Gary Kennedy, our secretary, who found there, and dealt with them from the early stages to get it booked showing we've everything catered for. They've been brilliant with us.

"We visited a few weeks ago, members of staff walked us around, and answered any questions we had, they accommodated anything we asked. We couldn't be more happy."

A lively GAA weekend beckons in Leeds.