GAA Abroad: Boston getting ready to host North American Finals

boston

2,500 GAA players will converge on Boston in two weeks time when the North American Gaelic Games Finals are held over Labor Day Weekend in the US.

The Irish Cultural Center (ICC) in Canton, Massachusetts is part of the Greater Boston area, and will be the venue for the annual feast of hurling, camogie and Gaelic footballing activity from August 29th – 31st.

The ICC has five full size fields at its disposal, and as much as 120 teams will play off in over 120 matches . All the titles will have been decided in the respective grades by the close of play on the afternoon of Sunday, August 31st.

Irish community

While people at home will be busily anticipating the outcome of the Dublin–Donegal All-Ireland semi-final, teams from cities across America, Canada and even the Cayman Islands will gather for what promises to be a great weekend for the strong Irish community in Boston. President of the GAA, Liam O’Neill will be in attendance to present medals and cups to the victorious teams and players over the course of the weekend.

Playing GAA in the US for the summer is an attractive proposition for many young GAA stars, and the Labor Day weekend presents them with a platform to showcase their talents.

The Boston Northeast Division is one of nine such divisions in the US. It is the largest in the country, and hosts the finals after Cleveland, Ohio had the honour of doing so last year.

Regional divisions

The regional divisions together make up the North American County Board (NACB). Their divisional competitions have been taking place since April in preparation for the finals.

There is a total of 22 adult clubs registered in Boston, with 40 teams coming from these clubs. The teams are comprised of Irish expats and Boston locals who have taken up our games.

The ICC will also be the venue for the Gaelic football All-Star game this coming November between the best players of 2014 and 2013.