AICC MEL 2023/24 - Round 2 Review
December 12, 2023
November 2023 was another busy month for Gaelic Games in the Middle East, with decreased temperatures giving plenty of opportunity for on-field activities before the oncoming Christmas break.
The Arab-Irish Chamber of Commerce Middle East League continued for male and female adult hurling, camogie and football teams, with teams across all 15 divisions battling it out in Round 2 competitions which took place in the UAE and Bahrain. On November 4th, a Senior and Intermediate Hurling and Camogie competition was held in Sharjah Wanderers Sports Club, hosted by Sharjah Gaels. Although heavy rainfall briefly impacted the initial stages of the tournament, the weather quickly brightened up and all 24 teams and 400 players were able to continue playing throughout the day. This round saw a revised tournament format for Senior and Intermediate camogie, which ultimately saw a number of competitive and enjoyable games being played out over the course of the day and looks set to ensure a great league competition going forward. Thank you to all camogie teams involved for their efforts in facilitating the new format, and well done to our Senior winners Dubai Celts, and Intermediate winners Al Ain GAA. In the Hurling competition, Abu Dhabi na Fianna McDonagh’s and Sharjah Gaels won the Senior and Intermediate competitions respectively, leaving just 1 point between 1st and 2nd place in each division as we head into Round 3.
The following week, on November 11th, 29 senior and intermediate football teams and 350 players (and a sizeable travelling party in support!) descended on the Bahrain Rugby Club in Manama, hosted by local club Arabian Celts. The club also opened a social competition on the day for 19 teams and approximately 250 players, which gave an opportunity for those new to the game to try their hand, and for some others to return to the game! In the Intermediate divisions, Kerry Middle East ladies established a commanding gap by winning their second tournament in a row, while Qatar men also showcased the hard work happening in Doha when their two teams in the division competed in the final match and also ensured that both teams sit level at the top of the division ahead of the break. In the Senior divisions, 4 teams paraded behind the local police marching band on the main pitch and stood for the national anthem before beginning their finals that evening. Ultimately, Abu Dhabi na Fianna and Sharjah Gaels took the honours in the Mens and Ladies Cup competitions following two enjoyable matches against Jumeirah Gaels and Dubai Celts respectively. Well done to all involved!
To conclude Round 2 of the adult leagues, all Junior A, B, C and D teams travelled to Al Ain Rugby Club on November 17th and 18th for a tournament hosted by Al Ain GAA. With these divisions catering for approximately 60 teams and 850 players, the tournament was split between Friday night and Saturday. On Friday, Al Ain GAA won the Ladies’ Junior A division to ensure a long night of celebrations locally, while Dubai Celts took the cup home in the men’s division. In the Men’s Junior B competition, Laochra Gaels won their second tournament in a row to ensure they sit comfortably at the top of the table, and Abu Dhabi na Fianna won the Ladies’ Junior B competition to put them joint top with Sharjah Gaels. In Men’s Junior C, Abu Dhabi na Fianna put in a strong showing to win the cup and put themselves in contention for an exciting finish to the league in attempting to catch Dubai Celts, while Kerry Middle East reversed the Round 1 result when they beat RAK Ropairí in the final, putting both teams tied top of the league. In the Ladies Junior D division, it was Naomh Alee who had another strong showing by overcoming Clann na hOman in the final once again to protect their position at the top of the league.
At juvenile level, a number of significant events took place, highlighting the continued growth and engagement at this grade. On November 4th, Abu Dhabi na Fianna held an invitational tournament in Zayed Sport City which saw approximately 200 attendees on the day from UAE clubs. In Manama, on November 10th, as a curtain-raiser to their adult tournament, Arabian Celts hosted a juvenile invitational tournament of similar scale, which brought together the juvenile sections of Arabian Celts and Naomh Alee, along with a significant contribution from local primary schools in the area following the introduction of extracurricular activities by club members. This type of school engagement is also noted in Dubai, where a number of schools in the city came together for a Gaelic Games tournament recently, with more planned in the new year, and in other cities where regular after-school activity takes place. On November 18th, Dubai Éire Óg hosted an invitational tournament in Sharjah Wanderers Sports Club, with similar numbers travelling once again within the UAE to enjoy a day of fun-filled activities. Finally, on November 25th, the last tournament of 2023 was the Middle East GAA Juvenile tournament, which took place in Doha. Teams from Qatar GAA, Dubai Éire Óg, and Abu Dhabi na Fianna came together for a very enjoyable day of Gaelic Games, which offered opportunities for juvenile members from 4 – 17 years of age and builds excitement for the upcoming Juvenile tournament in February 2024.
Off-field, a total of 90 coaches in the Middle East region enrolled into the “Introduction to Coaching Gaelic Games” course, which entailed a mix of online and practical elements to complete. This course is an entry level course shared by the GAA, LGFA and Camogie Association, which is aimed at allowing coaches to introduce players to the game in a safe and enjoyable environment. The 9 modules covered include: Introduction to Games, The “How to Coach Skills”, Being A Coach, Movement in Gaelic Games, Who Are You Coaching?, Skills Development, Games, Preparation and Planning, and the Conclusion. Middle East GAA are very grateful to Jamie Queeney and Leinster GAA for their support, and to tutor Lloyd Colfer, who ran 6 practical sessions in 10 days for members in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Riyadh and Bahrain. Thank you to all members and coaches who gave up their time to be involved and develop their skills. This initiative will ensure the continued development of our clubs and games in the region and will allow members to progress to further coaching qualifications in the future.
From a refereeing perspective, Middle East GAA were delighted to see 11 graduates of locally run Middle East GAA referee courses take to the field during the year. With the continued growth of our game in the region and the continued increase in teams and divisions, we are very grateful for our referees who get involved on tournament days and ensure that our games can continue smoothly, along with the support of Leinster GAA and the LGFA.
Sadly, Middle East GAA noted the sad passing of Jimmy Walsh during the month. Jimmy was a member of local club Dubai Celts since 2004 and proudly represented the club on the field in numerous competitions throughout the years. More importantly, Jimmy was a very popular and much-loved individual, with many fond anecdotes being shared by his friends and teammates about his positive contribution to the community in the region. Middle East GAA extend our deepest sympathies to Jimmy’s family, friends and teammates on his passing. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h-anam.
Middle East GAA now pause our season’s activities until January 2024. Round 3 of the Arab-Irish Chamber of Commerce Middle East league resumes with a Hurling and Camogie hosted by Dubai Celts on January 20th, Junior football being hosted by Jumeirah Gaels on January 26th, and Senior and Intermediate football to be hosted by Abu Dhabi na Fianna on January 27th. Shortly afterwards, on 3rd February, a juvenile tournament will be hosted by Dubai Éire Óg.
Thank you to our sponsors, The Arab-Irish Chamber of Commerce, our official equipment partner O’Neills, and to our clubs, members and all those who have contributed to Gaelic Games in the region in any way during the 2023 year. We would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our members a safe and happy Christmas and New Year break.
-ENDS-