In this edition, we have updates from across Australasia from what has been a busy start to 2024. We hope you enjoy it, and if you haven’t already, subscribe here to receive our future newsletters in your inbox.
Read the April 2024 newsletter
Welcome to the third edition of the Australasia Gaelic games newsletter, and the first of our golden anniversary year. This edition includes some exciting news on our anniversary celebrations, competition updates and, as usual, news from our states. We hope you enjoy it, and if you haven’t already, subscribe here to receive our future newsletters in your inbox.
Read the January 2024 newsletter
Melbourne will host the fiftieth anniversary Australasia Championships at La Trobe Sports Stadium from Wednesday 2 October to Saturday 5 October 2024.It will be the forty-eighth edition of the championships (state games), and while it is a regular highlight of the Australasia Gaelic games calendar, the 2024 games will be all the more auspicious as we celebrate 50 years of our association.
An interstate competition, the championships see Australasia’s top players across the four codes represent their states in a bid to claim national/trans-Tasman silverware.
The competition was last held at the same venue in Melbourne in 2022; there were no championships played in 2023 due to our involvement in the GAA World Games.
At the conclusion of the games on Saturday 5 October, we’ll celebrate the week of football, hurling and camogie – as well as our golden anniversary year – with a gala ball at Zinc Federation Square in the heart of Melbourne.
We’ll have more updates on the competition later in the year.
2024 is the 50-year anniversary of our association, and one of the ways we’re marking the occasion is with a 1974–2024 anniversary jersey.
Designed by O’Neill’s, the retro-style geansaí is a throwback to the 1970s – the decade our association was founded. The jersey is now on sale in our shop on the O’Neill’s website:
Australasia 50-year anniversary jersey – O’Neill’s
2024 sees the Gaelic Football & Hurling Association of Australasia celebrate its 50th anniversary, and we’re looking forward to celebrating the milestone throughout the year.
Founded in Sydney in June 1974, the association has overseen the development and promotion of Gaelic games across Australia and New Zealand over the last half-century.
We have several plans to mark to occasion, including the anniversary state games in October 2024, and the release of an anniversary retro-style jersey. Keep an eye on our website and social media channels for more information on the anniversary celebrations.
We were deeply saddened to learn of the recent passing of our first-ever president, Tommie Kearns.
Tommie displayed tremendous dedication to the Irish community in Australia, as seen by his involvement with Irish organisations such as Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, the Claddagh Association, and his years of service to GAA in Western Australia and Gaelic games across Australia.
Appointed as the inaugural president of the Gaelic Athletic Association of Australia in Sydney in June 1974, Tommie’s contribution helped lay the foundations for our success over the past 49 years. We thank Tommie for his immense commitment to our association.
Our deepest condolences go to the Kearns family, friends, and the Irish community in Perth during this difficult time.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.
Australasia were crowned World Champions three times at Celtic Park on Friday 28 July as our Irish men’s and women’s footballers, and camogie team claimed some great final wins.
After a hectic week of games played at Derry GAA’s Centre of Excellence in Owenbeg, four of our teams qualified for the finals in Celtic Park: our hurlers, camógs, and Irish men’s and Irish women’s footballers, with the latter three winning their finals convincingly. Our hurlers were pipped by Middle East in a thrilling final, while our international-born men’s and women’s football teams lost their respective semi-finals to the eventual winners.
Featuring in our fourth GAA World Games since 2015, this edition was our most successful with three of our six teams bringing silverware back down under.
You can view the results and read a full round-up of the games here: World Games 2023
St Kevin’s 4-9 – 4-6 Sinn Féin
Sunday 2 July
St Kevin’s and Sinn Féin met in the women’s senior football final, the third meeting of this pairing in finals in 2023. With Sinn Féin taking the Pearses Sevens title, and St. Kevin’s victorious in the league final, the championship final was aptly the decider for the year. It was all Kevin’s in the first half with an eight-point difference at half time, but Cormac O’Neill’s Sinn Fein came out firing in the second half, clawing back to make it a draw game. It seemed like the momentum was all with Sinn Féin, however St Kevin’s dug deep and found that extra gear that was evident all season to kick the final three points of the game. At full time it was St Kevin’s 4-9 to Sinn Fein 4-6. Captain Mona Sheridan was amongst St Kevin’s best and accepted the cup, with Anna Jones named player of the match. Australasia World Games player Tricia Melanaphy was a star for Sinn Féin, and will be one to watch in Derry at the end of the month.
St Kevin’s and Sinn Féin faced in a best-of-three for 2023 in the women’s senior football final. Photo: An Astráil
Garryowen 3-15 – 2-9 Wolfe Tones
Sunday 2 July
This final was eagerly awaited between two great rivals in Garryowen and Wolfe Tones. Wolfe Tones started very strongly getting three points in the first five minutes but this was nullified by an opportunist goal on the break from Garryowen. Wolfe Tones’ tactics worked well in the first half causing several critical turnovers, which helped them build a small lead at half time. The second half was a different story, however. Garryowen’s running game clicked into action and their superior ball handling, speed and fitness was telling. Wolfe Tones did score a fine goal on the break to keep them in the game but Garryowen’s on-field leaders, namely Conor Dorman, Stephen Cahill and Shane Buckley came to the fore, particularly in the final quarter to finish their opponents off in some style. Matthew O’Sullivan at full-forward had a fine game for Garryowen scoring three wonderful points from play when it really mattered. Some observers said he was reminiscent of his fellow county man, the legendary Eoin ‘Bomber’ Liston.
Garryowen’s Seán McSweeney kicks a free in the men’s senior football final against Wolfe Tones. Photo: An Astráil
Melbourne Shamrocks 6-10 – 0-2 Garryowen
Sunday 2 July
Melbourne Shamrocks avenged their league final defeat with huge win over Garryowen. Shamrocks built up a healthy lead in the first half with some well-taken goals by their inside forwards, and went in at the break leading by 4-4 to 0-2. They continued their dominance in the second half, but credit to Garryowen who never gave up and battled hard until the final whistle. Shamrocks captain Lisa McCarthy was presented with the championship cup for 2023, while Orla Beagan deservedly received the player of the match award.
Melbourne Shamrocks players celebrate their resounding championship final victory over Garryowen. Photo: An Astráil
Melbourne Shamrocks 1-24 – 2-18 Garryowen
Sunday 2 July
In a repeat of the league final, Melbourne Shamrocks and Garryowen battled it out for the 2023 championship title. In a titanic tussle that ebbed and flowed, both teams produced a fantastic hour of hurling. Shamrocks went in at the short whistle leading by a goal, 1-9 to 0-9. The second half produced some delightful scores by both teams in an action-packed 30 minutes of hurling. After a great effort by Garryowen, Shamrocks finished the stronger and held out for a three-point win on a scoreline of 1-24 to 2-18. Paul Morris accepted the cup on behalf of his team, while Kieran Bennett received the player of the match award following his outstanding display.
Action from the hurling final where Melbourne Shamrock claimed a league and championship double over Garryowen for 2023. Photo: An Astráil
Garryowen 3-9 – 0-13 Pádraig Pearses
Sunday 2 July
Whilst Garryowen started out as favourites, Pádraig Pearses took the game to them from the start with their combative and direct style of play in an entertaining encounter. Pearses delivered the ball quickly into Brian Lowry to great effect throughout the game, and he finished with 0-8 points from play and frees, a tremendous individual contribution. However, Garryowen’s powerful running game proved to be more incisive and their three goals were ultimately decisive. Jonathan Quinlan (man of the match) at midfield was imperious for Garryowen, and he won a huge share of possession under considerable pressure at vital stages in the game. And Eddie Goggin, the veteran corner forward, was a constant and deadly threat to the Pearses defence. The game moved at a great pace in both halves and was played in a very sporting fashion. Garryowen were full value for their win against a brave Pearses outfit.
Garryowen and Pádraig Pearses contest a kickout in the men’s intermediate football final. Photo: An Astráil
Sinn Féin 3-9 – 4-4 Pádraig Pearses
Sunday 25 June
The women’s intermediate football was the first of Victoria’s championship finals to be played. In a game that saw seven green flags raised, Sinn Féin eked out a two-point win to take home the title.
The Sinn Féin team who defeated Pádraig Pearses to win the women’s intermediate football final.
