Irish culture will have a big day out in Hobart next Saturday with the hosting of the Australasian Regional Championships of Gaelic football.
The tournament returns to Tasmania for the second time, after Hobart hosted the initial event in 2018.
During the lunch-time interval, Irish traditional music and dancing will be provided as entertainment.
Six mens’ and four womens’ team will context the Gaelic football tournament, with Tasmania entering two sides in the former division and one in the latter.
Played in approximately 30 countries around the world and originating in Ireland, Gaelic football is a fast and skiful game played on a rectangular field with rugby-style posts. Three points are scored for a goal and one point for an ‘over’ between the posts.
The Regional Championships use a seven-a-side format on a smaller field compared to the traditional 15s on full-sized fields.
TasGaelic President Emma O’Neill said the organisation was a big task but she was looking forward to the event.
“The interstate teams – Gold Coast, Geelong and so on – are tough competition but then again it’s just as much about participation as it is about winning,” O’Neill said.
“What we’re really putting on is a big celebration of Irish culture and spirit, and that goes quite a long way back here in Tasmania.”
Hobart is home to a mixed Gaelic football social league with the season running from October to December each year.
Entry to the Gaelic football event is free and spectators are welcome.
Date: Saturday 16 November 2024
Venue: Rugby Park, 10 Selfs Point Rd, Cornelian Bay (Hobart), Tasmania
Time: Round robin matches from 09:00 – Womens’ final 14:00 – Mens’ final 15: 00
Featured entertainment: Traditional music session and Irish dancing by Scoil Rince Ni Kelly, 12:30-14:00.
Message from TasGaelic:
“We wish to express our sincere gratitude to all our sponsors without whom it would not be possible to host a tournament like this. We would like to thank The New Sydney Hotel, Transportation Whiskey, Optimum Health Solutions, the Allurity Hotel and the Tasmanian Times. Also, we would like to thank Michelle O Bryne MP and The Honourable Nick Duigan MLC for their generous donations to the tournament. It’s great to see such enthusiasm from our sponsors, as competitions like this significantly contribute to the advancement of Gaelic sports in Australasia.
It is a special honour for our club to have several members of the inaugural 2007 TGFHA committee in attendance today. Also present here is Australasian Gaelic Games President Ned Sheehy, Secretary Teresa Daly and PRO John Bobs Daly. We would like to thank them all, and the AGG committee for all their support of our club over the years, and in preparation for this tournament. A big thank you to Alan Whykes, who has been a huge part of our the TGFHA for the last decade, for sponsoring and catering the lunch at today’s event. A final thanks to all the support we have gotten from the members of Rugby Park and Rugby Union Tasmania over the past few months, and in helping us facilitate this day for everyone to enjoy.”
