Newsletter: Start Of The GAA PT Season

After a break for the summer GAA Portugal will start back today and will ramp up training and social activities over the next few months. Below are some brief updates with more to follow in the coming weeks:

 

Lisbon Bootcamp Starts Today

Training starts back today, September 5th, in Jardim de Belem (https://goo.gl/maps/NgmTMTNHjPzMKTT18)

The training in Belem will focus on fitness, rather than football or hurling skills, so even if you don't intent to play either sport it's a good chance to get back in shape.

There is no need to sign up for the training, and training is free of charge. All age groups are welcome.

We will have monthly pitch sessions to play full hurling and football matches - more details to follow.

 

October 5th: Trip to Seville - 7-A-Side Blitz

We have kindly been invited by Éire Óg Sevilla to take part in the Seville Blitz on October 5th. Both men's and women's teams will play.

Anyone that would like to travel with the team is more than welcome - supporters or players. We will give anyone that wishes to play an opportunity and the social side of the event should be a lot of fun with teams from Spain and Ireland participating.

When we travel to play in tournaments we will play as GAA Portugal so any of our players from regions beyond Lisbon and Cascais that don't yet have an opportunity to train will be very welcome as part of our team.

To sign up for the event please go to https://www.gaa.pt/events/seville-blitz/

 

November 9th: GAA Portugal vs. Round Towers GAA (Dublin)

On November 9th we will host a game against Irish GAA Club, Round Towers GAA

As always any players that would like to take part will be very welcome.

Our format for these friendly matches will be to play our best team in the first part of the game to see how we are progressing. For the second part of the game we will take the opportunity to play anyone that is interested, usually the teams will be mix and the pace will be slower, with the very experienced players from Round Towers helping to coach and instruct our players so that we can make improvements ahead of any other challenge matches.

If you would like to participate in the game please sign up at - https://www.gaa.pt/events/gaa-portugal-vs-round-towers-gaa/

 

GAA Algarve

During the summer members of GAA Algarve lead by Mark Rohan and Conor O'Neill, among others, started organising the first team in the region.

We will having updates on training schedules shortly. We hope to have Algarve players available for the upcoming Blitz in Seville. Our aim is to add an Algarve team to our Annual St. Patrick's Day festival next March.

Anyone interesting in staying up to date on the Algarve teams and schedule please sign up on gaa.pt, if you have not done so already.

 

All Ireland Final Replay

For anyone interested in joining us to watch the All Ireland Final replay on September 14th at 18h members of GAA Portugal will be gathering in O'Gillin's in Cais do Sodre, Lisbon.

After a thrilling final last Sunday, the replay promises to be a special occasion.

Some great options for watching the match are:

  • O'Luain's in Cascais
  • Cooley's in Cascais
  • Sherry's Irish Bar in Albufeira
  • Hennessy's in Cais do Sodre
  • The Corkman in Cacilhas
  • O'Gillin's in Cais do Sodre

If you know of any other pubs were people are gathering for the game, please let us know and we post details on the website.

 

Ambassador Orla Tunney (Honorary President of GAA Portugal)

As some of you may already know, Ambassador Tunney's term in Portugal came to an end during the summer. GAA Portugal would not exist as it does without the massive support and encouragement received from Ambassador Tunney during her time in Portugal. From organising the very successful St. Patrick's Day Festival in Belem in 2016 where GAA games were central to the activities and the most recent version of the event in Cascais, to supplying the first set of equipment to get training started in Lisbon in 2017, Ambassador Tunney has worked extremely hard to guide and support the organisation. We are very much in her debt.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Ambassador for all her work and encouragement over the last three years and wish her and her family the very best with their new move.

 

Apologies for the long email. I hope to see you at one of our events or training sessions soon.

As always, if you have any questions please send them to info@gaa.pt