Breffni links to new gaa club in berlin

Paul Fitzpatrick

As with many initiatives in the GAA, it started with a Kerryman. When Christopher Hennessy from Listowel found himself in Berlin, he missed the football scene at home and began to venture to a local park for a kick-around on Sunday mornings.

This went on for a few years before, in the middle of the summer of 2013, he was joined by a friend from Belturbet, Anthony McDermott.

After a year or so, the men decided to get a team together and play competitive games in the European League.

“So we contacted the GAA and the process started,” recalls McDermott.
Thus, the Berlin GAA club — the German capital was one of the last major European cities to establish a club - was formed.

On October 12 last year, the fledgling club made history when they brought a team to Dresden for a mini-tournament involving the hosts, Prague, Budapest and Berlin.

“Over the winter, we received huge support from the European county board and the other clubs in Germany and this part of Europe,” Anthony explained.
Tragically, in January of this year, Christopher Hennesssy passed away following a short illness, aged just 40. Into the breach as chairperson stepped Anthony but his friend has not been forgotten.

“Christopher’s family and friends in Listowel held fundraisers and provided us with the team kit. Our logo says ‘Friends of Cristoir O hAonghusa’.

“We have received funding from the GAA and the Department of Foreign Affairs as well as collecting membership fees.”

In March, the club entered its second tournament in Dresden, lining out teams in football and hurling. They currently compete in the South-East Regional Gaelic Football League, which includes teams from Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, Switzerland and Italy.

The schedule this season has included matches in Munich in April, Vienna the following month and Padova in northern Italy. At the Italian ‘stop’, Berlin reached the final, with McDermott also winning the Player of the Tournament award.

“Each round is a tournament with points allocated depending on results on the day. We ended up finishing third in the league behind Munich and champions Vienna,” says Anthony.

“At trainings, we would have people from Ireland, England, Scotland, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Australia and the Netherlands. We have hurls and helmets on the way and that will be starting soon also.”

McDermott - a civil engineer who has been based in Berlin since 2010 - is the chairperson and, at 32, one of the club’s oldest members.

“We have a great committee here. Lots to do, especially when starting from scratch. From organising trainings, to registering and transferring players, ordering equipment, making contact with Irish pubs and organisations in the city, organising the trips away... It’s a lot but the county board has been fantastic and all the other clubs have too.

“The weekends away are a great experience and we hope to have a big weekend here in Berlin in late summer. The club is building slowly but surely and we hope to be a force to be reckoned with in Europe in the next few years.”

There is another strong Cavan connection, too. John Maguire from Farnham, a former Cavan Gaels player who is working in software development in Berlin, has thrown his lot in with the new club, as has his girlfriend Kate Corcoran from Kildallan.

“John Maguire is with us about two months and has already been a massive help. He has some great training drills that he learned back home and he has been introducing them into training.

He has been helping us with promoting the club here in Berlin and is providing back-up against the Cavanman jokes!”