A Pakistani playing GAA in Abu Dhabi after being introduced to the game by a Korean.
The Irish diaspora are scattered to the four winds and the GAA was not far away.
The GAA World Games are currently enjoying a homecoming of sorts as teams from across the globe battle it out for the prizes.
Pól Seoige caught up with three players from the ‘Arabs’ [Middle Eastern] team and found passionate converts to Gaelic games. The team is a mix of Pakistani, Sudanese, Palestinian, Egyptian and more. They usually take on a ‘Natives’ [Irish] side and Abu Dhabi but are here to create a stir.
Damor, a keen GAA player from Pakistan, explained how his team is like a family to him and discussed their mentality when it comes to dust-ups. He said:
“We don’t care. Touch a Sudanese, Pakistani, Egyptian, Palestinian, anyone, we are all in…
“When I was first here, everybody was telling me about how Gaelic games is about family. Now it’s me [saying that]. Within the space of a month, it has brought us together. It doesn’t matter about borders, nationalities, race. We are one family.”
The games continue, out at University College Dublin, until August 14.
Listen to the GAA Hour football show – Wooly is joined by Paul Galvin, Aidan O’Shea, Senan Connell and Conán Doherty. Subscribe here on iTunes.
