Credit: GSCL - Club na nÓg Luxembourg
On Saturday 18 May 2024, Club na nÓg Luxembourg hosted the Benelux Gaelic Football Youth Tournament at Stade Boy Konen in Luxembourg-Cessange.
The Gaelic football event brought together teams from the Benelux region, as well as Germany and Switzerland.
Club na nÓg is the youth section of the Gaelic Sports Club of Luxembourg (GSCL). As the club shared with Chronicle.lu, GSCL was founded in 1978 playing Gaelic football, hurling and camogie. The youth section was created in 2017 providing children with the opportunity to learn Gaelic Games.
Over 150 girls and boys participated in the tournament with competitions held across U7, U9, U11, U13 and U15 category. Rugby Club Luxembourg (RCL) also participated in the U15 age group, “appreciating the transferable skills of Gaelic football to complement the rugby profile”, noted chief organisers Tadhg and Elaine.
Throw in was at 11:00 and despite the light drizzle, there was “a great display” of Gaelic football across all age groups. The weather improved and the action continued throughout the day with the intensity building as teams sought to reach the finals.
Results
U7 winners: Luxembourg; runners up: Eintracht Frankfurt
U9 winners: Belgium; runners up: Luxembourg
U11 winners: Frankfurt; runners up: Brussels
U13 winners: Eintracht Frankfurt; runners up: Luxembourg
U15 winners: Belgium/Den Haag; runners up: Basel
The guest of honour at the tournament was the Irish Ambassador to Luxembourg, Jean McDonald, who handed out medals to all participants - “medals and the memories which the children will remember forever”.
Club na nÓg expressed its gratitude to all the players, parents, referees, coaches and everyone involved in hosting and contributing to the success of the tournament, as well as sponsors who continue to support the growth and development of the youth section.
Club na nÓg noted that Gaelic Games in Europe have grown since 1978 from one club in Luxembourg to over 100 active clubs, spread across over 20 countries, a number of which have youth sections providing opportunities for girls and boys to learn and love the skills of Gaelic Games.
For anyone interested in learning more about Gaelic Games in Europe and getting involved, training is held on Sunday afternoons from 14:30 from 15:45 at Stade Michel Wagner in Luxembourg-Weimerskirch. Club na nÓg aims to bring Gaelic Games to girls and boys in Luxembourg “in a fun and friendly way”. Children aged four to fifteen are welcome to take part (children are split into appropriate age groups for training).
(Irish Ambassador Jean McDonald pictured with some of the participants; redit: GSCL - Club na nÓg Luxembourg)
