It was a memorable trip to Ireland for our boys under-15 football team who competed at the prestigious Féile Peile na nÓg youth tournament at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence in county Mayo on Saturday 29 June.
If the team weren’t already bubbling with excitement after travelling 15,000km to line out at this storied tournament, they certainly were when they stepped into the state-of-the-art dome complex to play their opening group games. There they faced Newtownbutler First Fermanaghs, and eventual division winners Gaultier of Waterford.
The boys gave an excellent account of themselves in these opening games; their months of training and preparation best displayed with their fast running game. Fellow travellers Warwickshire served as opposition in the plate semi-final, and our boys again acquitted themselves well, but the English side proved too strong come the final whistle.
Theo Constantine in action in the warm-up game against Celbridge. Credit: Celbridge GAA club
It was a fantastic occasion and a great experience which will only benefit our players’ development, both on the field in terms of skills and game time against experienced Irish players, and off it with the friendships and memories made.
The team began their whistlestop tour of Ireland in the capital with a trip to Whitehall Colmcille where they were lucky enough to meet a star of the game in All-Ireland-winning Dublin footballer Cormac Costello. From there, they headed to Croke Park for a tour and a reception with Uachtarán CLG Jarlath Burns and the GAA’s international manager, Charlie Harrison.
A trip to the famed Rock of Cashel, and warm-up games against Celbridge, Arravale Rovers and Annaghdown followed, with terrific hospitality being shown by each club, before heading to Mayo for Féile.
The team meeting GAA president Jarlath Burns at Croke Park
Congratulations to the players, coaches, family members and everyone who made this unforgettable trip possible.
A special thanks to the sponsors for supporting for boys’ trip: Crowley Plant Hire; DCI Electrical Services; KLF Contracts; Pipeline Technics Civil Engineering; Resource Services Group (RSGx); SMS Mining Services; The Noel Walsh Foundation; Australasia Gaelic Games; GAA in WA, as well as a Southern Districts GAC, Perth for their donation of 10 footballs.
