Middle East County Board
- Gaelic Games in
the Middle East have been a key feature of the lives of Irish and other
communities across Gulf Region for the
past 30 years
- Traditionally
affiliated as part of the Asia and Gulf Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA)
Board, the Middle East GAA has now
established itself as an autonomous, directly affiliated board of the GAA and a
distinct member of the rapidly growing international caucus of the Gaelic
Athletic Association since June 2013.
- As the newest
regional body or âCounty Boardâ, the Middle East Board oversees over 60
competitive teams in the region, accounting for over 1,000 directly affiliated
members and in excess of 3,000 associate members, and is part of what is
arguably the largest worldwide amateur sports association and voluntary
organisation on the planet.
- The Middle East
GAA Board co-ordinates and facilitates competitive league, championship and
test-match competitions across the Gulf region
in Mens Gaelic Football & Hurling, Ladies Gaelic Football & Camogie and
a burgeoning Juvenile programme.
- The Middle East
GAA board currently consists of eleven Clubs in the Region, Abu Dhabi Na
Fianna, Arabian Celts GAA, Al Ain GAA, Clann na hOman, Dubai Celts, Kuwait
Harps, Naomh Alee Riyadh, Oman GAA, Sharjah Ladies GAA, Sharjah Gaels &
Qatar GAA Oryx na hÃireann with Ras Al Khaimah due to come on board in 2014.
A message from the Chairman, James
Kennedy.
I am delighted to welcome you to
the Middle East GAA website. Although Gaelic Games has been alive and kicking
in the Region for over 30 years, the Middle East County Board was only set up
in June 2013. In September 2013, the first Middle East representative team took
part in the International Hurling Competition held in Galway in Ireland. The
Middle East Team was placed in the 2nd Division and we had a 100%
record winning all our games to secure our first piece of silverware for the
County. A month later Teams from the Middle East were invited to participate at
the Asian Gaelic Games in Kuala Lumpur and it proved a very successful trip
winning 5 out of the 8 competitions we competed in, including the blue ribbon
event, the Derek Brady Cup.
The Middle East League was set up
in the 2009/2010 season and has gone from strength to strength in that time with
both Senior and Intermediate competitions now in place for both Mens and Ladies
Gaelic Football. In 2013 we set up the Mens Senior hurling League and have
adopted the Super 11âs format which has created a lot of buzz and excitement
among the players and supporters of hurling in the Region. The Juvenile section
has blossomed over the last couple of years with hundreds of new members
playing our National games across the Region.
A lot of work is being done by the
Committees & volunteers across all Clubs to help develop Gaelic Games in
the Region and I would like to express a great deal of gratitude on behalf of
the Middle East County Board to all Clubs and their Members for all their hard
work.