Seoul Gaels

The 2007 season has been a huge success for the Seoul Gaels. We trained through sleet, rain and snow and more rain, held a widely talked-about Sports Day, and of course, we hosted the first ever KOREAN GAELIC GAMES! We are looking to build upon this great start and to further the efforts made in Shanghai, at the Asian Gaelic Games in 2006!

After record breaking turn out for women’s training at every session since February, the Seoul Gaels GFC better half are poised to turn some heads at the Asian Gaelic Games in 2007. 30 Seoul Gaels Ladies were able to benefit from the KGG experience in April, and it was a great mid-season barometer. Playing against Beijing and Japan showed us exactly what we were doing right and what we needed to work on. The Korean Gaelic Games inspired all the women of Seoul to train long and hard to build very competitive teams that will leave people talking about us in Singapore! There are plenty of rookies this year, some discovering the game for the first time, others who are camogie converts, still others who haven’t played since they were in nappies! And there are a few AGG vets looking at their best chance yet, to bring home the silverware this year! Not to mention: “We’re Bringing Sexy Back!”

The Korean Gaelic Games proved a turning point for the men’s side of our club, where 3 motley teams were put together to play against the great Asian Alliance. The rivalries that began at the April tournament were all the inspiration needed, and training became the social highlight of the week, of course, along with hours of football analysis at the pub afterwards. Suddenly, we saw more of the “Gwanju Gaels” around Seoul, last minute flight reservations, and tales of Seoul Gaels three-in-a-row glory were heard at The Wolfhound on many a Saturday night. The soul of the team are a group of dedicated vets who were happy to see many new faces this year, to increase the competition for places on the A Team, and they remember what it took to bring the Derek Brady Cup to Seoul those three years running. The rookies are out to prove to themselves and the vets that they can do it.

The Gaels are excited to play in a new city for the Asian Gaelic Games 2007, and (especially after organizing their first international tournament) would especially like to thank the GAA in Shanghai for all their efforts over the past two years. The memories (as hazy as some of them are) will last a lifetime, as will those from Singapore. We’re looking forward to facing rivals of the past, reconnecting with old friends, drinking a few pints and, of course, playing some competitive football!