Singapore Gaelic Lions Founded in 1997 and with almost 100 members drawn from all over the world, the Singapore Gaelic Lions have had a very busy time of it since Shanghai 2006, not all football related. The year started off with a “friendly” inter-club game, with the rest of the world team winning out narrowly over the culchies in a suitably belligerent confrontation in the mud. The men’s team then travelled to Dubai for the Gulf Games in January, and with some help from self-styled stalwarts of the game from around Asia, surprised more than a few teams by getting to the final of the B competition, losing to Dubai in a close encounter. Thereafter training moved up a notch, with mid-week training under lights being supplemented by a fitness regime drawn up and “administered” by Meath’s own Denise Glennon, and the hangover-ridden Sunday evening sessions continuing to draw the crowds. To the confusion and consternation of a local hockey team training nearby, the hurling squad has taken to the field each Sunday before the football sessions. Unlike previous years, the ladies teams have thankfully taken out their aggression on each other this season, rather than on the coaches and barmen who can’t rustle up enough ingredients for two dozen mojitos post training. Spurred on by talk of a Singapore exiles team training like husky dogs and foreswearing alcohol, they’ll certainly be a force to be reckoned with. The International Rules element of the club continues to grow. Together with the local Aussie Rules team, the Wombats, the club hosted a so-called veterans team from Australia en route to play a series in Ireland in November. Despite the touring party having enough players to field three different teams over six confusingly named “quarters”, and comprising some legends of the Aussie Rules game, the joint Singapore team ran out winners in another tight game. The Lions retained the Bill Nikolopoulos Cup in May. The cup is an annual three-game International Rules series played against the Wombats, in honour of our great friend and team-mate Bill Nikolopoulos who passed away last year and who played with such distinction for both the Lions and the Wombats. After a heavy defeat in the first game in March, the Lions came back superbly to win the final two games and the cup. The Gaelic Cubs have also grown from strength to strength, with over 25 kids ranging in age from 5 to 13 learning how to play Gaelic football every Sunday morning. Gaelic football has been introduced to the sporting curriculum in one of the international schools and the future Lions and Lionesses are already running rings around their adult counterparts. In addition to promoting Gaelic football, the club also focuses on contributing to local charities. Over recent years, the club has donated S$10,000 to the Singapore Special Olympics, S$5,000 to Habitat For Humanity Singapore, S$11,000 to the Singapore Cancer Society, and together with the Singapore St. Patrick’s Society, raised over S$20,000 for Tsunami relief efforts. SGL are proudly sponsored by McCraic Holdings, operators of Molly Malone’s and BQ Bar. see our website on www.gaeliclions.com |
