The Berlin GAA article - http://hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=246683 - is an excellent article by Hoganstand & is the epitome of what the GAA was & should be. It reminded me so much of what I used to enjoy with my own club, the togetherness, making the most of what you have, inclusivity, friendships, bonding & most of all enjoyment. Sadly that is long lost at home where politics, power, greed for payment, win at all costs, hatred of others & the opposition, lack of respect, total breakdown of discipline & implementation of same & lastly no enjoyment factor anymore, ask the players. Sadly I think it's only going to get worse here as the cancer of paying managers at club level & the gradual progression of inter county to semi proffesionalism means that Nuggets of stories like Berlin's as highlighted by Hoganstand will be rarities. Well done Berlin, ye have honoured your founder well.

Uimhir.a.3. (Galway) - Posts: 409 - 10/11/2015 15:27:10    1806016

Excellent piece and its not insolation, think there is a decent discussion to be had club wise re paying of managers etc pro,s con,s etc

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 10/11/2015 16:20:33    1806055

I played against them a couple of times this year and they are a good bunch- travel to every tournament (not easy given the distances to be covered), got to a final down in Italy and ended up finishing third in the regional championship. Indeed, in some ways they are an example to some of the more established clubs, who sometimes forget the broader picture of playing at this level.

It looks probable that they will host their first ever tournament next year, which I'm sure will be a great occasion. Think that they hurl as well, and their chairman is a German who's a fluent Irish speaker, hosting a regular ciorcál chomhrá, so it's not just the football going well there.

GAA has really come on in Germany over the past year, which was perhaps under-represented relative to its size prior to that. There are a few new-ish clubs in Augsburg, Dresden, Berlin and there's a hurling club in Darmstadt, which is a small city in the centre.

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 10/11/2015 17:48:06    1806093

Gleebo do you know when that tournament is in Berlin ?

MonaghanGlory (Monaghan) - Posts: 738 - 10/11/2015 18:39:58    1806115

Any club ive been involved with in oz, nz and Canada have been like that

DoireCityFC (Derry) - Posts: 1580 - 10/11/2015 19:29:11    1806136

Gleebo
The chairman is a belturbet man in Cavan and is fluent in German and probably Irish as well.

Jim_Shorts (Cavan) - Posts: 96 - 10/11/2015 19:34:23    1806141

MonaghanGlory
County: Monaghan
Posts: 403

1806115
Gleebo do you know when that tournament is in Berlin ?

Dates and venues won't be confirmed for another month or so, by the looks of things.

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 11/11/2015 08:31:49    1806217

Jim_Shorts
County: Cavan
Posts: 51

1806141
Gleebo
The chairman is a belturbet man in Cavan and is fluent in German and probably Irish as well

Indeed, seems as though I confused him with one of the players, my mistake.

http://www.joe.ie/sport/around-the-world-in-80-clubs-berlin-gaa-club-1/515650

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 11/11/2015 08:35:58    1806218

DoireCityFC
County: Derry
Posts: 1341

1806136
Any club ive been involved with in oz, nz and Canada have been like that
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yep, I can echo that DCFC. Be involved with clubs in oz and the UK and I can honestly say that i have felt more at home with those clubs than my home club and made closer friends into the bargain! Up the Candystripes!

Bald Eagle (None) - Posts: 1009 - 11/11/2015 08:54:39    1806228

Bald Eagle
County: All
Posts: 1002

1806228
DoireCityFC
County: Derry
Posts: 1341

1806136
Any club ive been involved with in oz, nz and Canada have been like that
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yep, I can echo that DCFC. Be involved with clubs in oz and the UK and I can honestly say that i have felt more at home with those clubs than my home club and made closer friends into the bargain! Up the Candystripes!

GAA clubs abroad tend to be at the centre of the local Irish community and there is an added closeness between people involved as a result. On the other hand, the level of commitment required even to play junior football or hurling at home is much heavier, in terms of training at least, and the rewards are often lacking.

I've been to places I probably never would have visited, all over Europe, just to play football, whereas a lot of fellas playing in Ireland may not get to go beyond their own county. There is also a huge social component to GAA abroad- there's always a post-tournament banquet and a few pints and craic afterwards with the other clubs, which helps defuse the on-field tensions a lot. On the other hand, it was rare enough even to talk to opposition players after a game in Ireland when I played.

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 11/11/2015 10:44:07    1806279