French GAA

Ever thought of combining a holiday to Brittany with a day’s Gaelic Games? That opportunity will come up on June 15th when the local GAA club at St. Brieuc hosts the French Gaelic Football Finals, with 20 clubs from all over France and the Channel Islands taking part on on Saturday, June the 15th. (Saint-Brieuc is named after a Welsh monk Brioc, who evangelized the region in the 6th century and established an oratory there).

For the first time of its history, Brittany is given the opportunity by the Federation de Football Gaélique to host the final round of the French and Channel Islands championship in 2013. Organised with the help of the Bro Sant-Brieg GAA club, it will take place in the vicinity of Saint Brieuc (Cotes d’Armor), at the Centre Technique Régional Henri Guérin in Ploufragan.

The Bro Sant-Brieg GAA club has made a tremendous effort to ensure that everything regarding this event is environmentally friendly by putting forward local development, catering using local products, recycling, no disposable plastic cups, minimal printing needs (flyers, posters, etc).

The venue for the championship is the state of the art Centre Technique Régional Henri Guérin which has four pitches. 20 teams are expected to attend coming from Brittany but also Paris, Clermont-Ferrand, Niort, Coutances, Toulouse, Jersey and Guernesey while officials from the European County Board (GAA) will be present. First aid will be provided by the Centre Français de secourisme de Plérin.

The will be a stand for local businesses, institutions and the media. On display on the day will be the world’s largest Gwen Ha Du (the flag of Brittany, 300 sq.m) and the Sant-Brieg & District Pipe Band will provide entertainment.

This is the last tournament of French competitions, which gathered 500 licenced players this year, 15 tournaments and 7 cup games played in total.

The Fédération de Football Gaélique has 20 teams with the French championship is split in 2 groups. Fédérale A (Paris,Niort, Toulouse, Clermont-Ferrand and Lyon) and B ( Brittany + channel islands).
The Shield competition is open to all other teams and there is a ladies football championship freaturing Paris, southern region, Brittany, Jersey and Guernesey.

The games begin at 10am on Saturday 15th june 2013 and everyone is welcome.