By Cian O’Connell

This month in the region of 500 players took part in the France GAA Championships. That only 10 per cent were Irish born highlights the work being carried out by clubs in France.

Stephen Hegarty lives in Caen. His father is from Kerry, but three years ago Hegarty became immersed in Gaelic Games activities. Now Hegarty is a player and administrator, acting as secretary of France GAA.

Next month’s FRS GAA World Games in Derry will be busy with several teams from France participating. Injury rules Hegarty out of the on field action, but important off field duties will be carried out.

The French Championships, with GAA President Larry McCarthy in attendance, captured the imagination. “We were really happy to have people over at the event,” Hegarty says. “It had been cancelled for the past three years, two years because of Covid and then because of a heatwave in Bordeaux when it was 44 degrees.

“So we had to cancel the event, we were really happy to organise the event. We had Larry McCarthy and the Irish Ambassador to France so it was brilliant to have them at it.”

A solid foundation has been established in France. Interest is increasing, but Hegarty remains adamant that further progress can be made. “We are really on top of things in terms of locals playing the game here in France,” Hegarty says.

“We even hope to increase that in the coming years, we are trying to do our best to push it in the media over here.

“It is about getting more people to play, but that takes time. It is worthwhile, though, because people really enjoy the games once they start playing.”

The France GAA Championships were held in Nantes last week. Progress continues to be made. “We had 25 mens teams and 10 or 11 womens teams,” he adds.

“The aim of the French Championship is to gather everyone that plays to be able to play against each other. We are finding it hard to get have enough pitches, there is a lot of organisation behind it when we have that many teams involved.

“We actually had to divide it into three sites this year, usually it would be on the same site. We would generally have six or seven pitches next to each other, but on this occasion we had to change that.”

Nonetheless, Hegarty acknowledges that it is a nice to have to try to find solutions because it shows Gaelic Games are thriving. “I was involved with a team that was half an hour or 45 minutes away from Nantes where the finals were held - the women’s team was in one place and the men’s team in another place,” Hegarty states.

“So we want to be able to keep that format as long as possible, but when the game grows even more it will be impossible. We have to start looking at options, which maybe is a good thing because it shows more people are playing the game here.”

Why is there such a high percentage of French natives in the 500 players? “Basically the first club would have been founded by Irish ex pats living in Paris so there was an Irish community, but what happened in the next few years after that is some clubs were formed in Brittany,” Hegarty replies.

“That was due to the Celtic culture over there, they have always looked up to Ireland. So you had clubs in Rennes and then in Brest. It kept evolving then with more and more clubs. So more people got involved in the game and now they basically have their own leagues.

“During the year Breton teams play against each other. It is only in the French Championships when they play against teams from other places in France like Paris, Bordeaux, or Lyon. So Brittany is really the centre of Gaelic Football.

“Now a lot of people, who were living in Brittany, have moved. So they have created clubs in different areas and different cities. This is how the game is growing in France, basically.”

Throughout France, though, the games schedule varies. “It is very different to what people in Ireland would be used to,” Hegarty adds. “We don't have a game every week, it is a bit more laidback. We'd play once a month or once every three weeks and we'd usually play in a tournament in a place.

“You'd be facing a few teams during the day, that is how it works. In Brittany where the distance between the teams is closer, they play real games with two halves of 30 minutes, like in Ireland. It is a bit different between Brittany and the rest of France.”

Hegarty remembers childhood visits to Kerry. Matches were monitored, but it is only in recent years that the GAA has become a central part in his life. “My Dad is from Kerry, but he moved to France 45 years ago,” Hegarty says.

“I always knew about Gaelic Football because I'd visit my family over there, but I never played the game. I only started playing three years ago, I'm 35 myself, but I always played soccer here. There was a club where I live founded by some people, who used to play in Brittany.

“I needed to give it a shot, sure enough I just loved the game. I had watched a few games on TV when I'd be over on holidays visiting my family, that is the only connection I had. Now I'm really getting involved and I really like it. There is real potential here in France.”

Hegarty is hopeful that will be showcased in Derry at the upcoming World Games. “We will have teams in the native competition,” he says. “It means only players born in France will be involved, I was meant to play myself, but I hurt my ACL recently.

“I would have been the only player with an Irish background. All of the other players have completely no connections with Ireland whatsoever. They are just playing the game for the last few years.

“We will have five teams from the French Association. We will be sending two mens teams, one Championship squad, like a first team, and a reserves team for younger players or people, who started recently and may be 35 years old. I was the captain of the reserves in the Euro Games in Galicia because I had only started recently.

“We will do the same with womens teams, but we will also be sending our first hurling team. Hopefully hurling will grow too. Regional teams will also be playing, I think we have around 13-15 teams taking part. We will have the biggest contingent of players from one country.”

Hegarty is embracing the administration duties. “Especially with the injury I've now got plenty of time on my hands,” he laughs.

“I will be travelling with the French teams for the World Games, I will be helping them with logistics and translating too. I'm definitely looking forward to meeting people with the GAA over there, to show them there is a real interest in France.”

There is no shortage of purpose and passion.