The British Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association (Irish: Cumann Lúthchleas Gael na Breataine)[1] or Britain GAA is the only provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association outside the island of Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in Great Britain. The board is also responsible for the British Gaelic football, hurling, camogie and ladies' Gaelic football inter-county teams.
London compete in the National Football League, and in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship (as part of Connacht). In the National Hurling League, London play in the tier 3 Christy Ring Cup while Warwickshire and Lancashire play in the tier 5 Lory Meagher Cup.
The British Council is responsible for the seven GAA counties of Britain: Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire, Lancashire, London, Scotland, Warwickshire and Yorkshire. The GAA counties cover wider areas than their names suggest; the Hertfordshire County Board, for example, oversees clubs in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Oxfordshire; Gloucestershire GAA reaches into South Wales, Warwickshire GAA includes Staffordshire and Birmingham, and so on. The most popular sport is Gaelic football and some clubs are dedicated only to that sport.
County boards
- Gloucestershire
- Hertfordshire
- Lancashire
- London
- Scotland
- Warwickshire
- Yorkshire
History
The history of the London branch of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) dates back to the 19th century. Sam Maguire started his career here.
The old Wembley Stadium has played host to a number of Gaelic football and hurling games, the first taking place in 1958.
Facilities
Many British GAA games are played on council fields, there are some dedicated GAA grounds in Britain. The two main grounds are the Emerald GAA Grounds, in Ruislip, London, and Páirc na hÉireann, in Solihull, near Birmingham.
Hurling
Current Hurling County Teams
| County | Grounds | League | Championship | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade | Lvl | Grade | Lvl | ||
 Lancashire
|
Old Bedians | Division 3B | 6 | Lory Meagher Cup | 5 |
 London
|
McGovern Park | Division 2B | 4 | Christy Ring Cup | 3 |
 Warwickshire
|
Páirc na hÉireann | Division 3B | 6 | Lory Meagher Cup | 5 |
Football
Competitions
Inter-county
- All-Britain Junior Football Championship
London compete in the Connacht championship and their 2nd team competes in the Britain championship.
Club
- All-Britain Junior Club Football Championship
The winners qualify for the All-Ireland Junior Club Football Championship.
Current Football County Teams
| County | Grounds | Championship | League | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade | Lvl | Grade | |||
 Gloucestershire
|
All-Ireland Junior Football Championship | 3 | N / A | ||
| Hertfordshire
|
All-Ireland Junior Football Championship | 3 | N / A | ||
| Lancashire
|
Old Bedians | All-Ireland Junior Football Championship | 3 | N / A | |
| London
|
McGovern Park | Tailteann Cup | 2 | Division 4 | |
 Scotland
|
All-Ireland Junior Football Championship | 3 | N / A | ||
| Warwickshire
|
Páirc na hÉireann | All-Ireland Junior Football Championship | 3 | N / A | |
 Yorkshire
|
All-Ireland Junior Football Championship | 3 | N / A | ||
Competitions
| Competition | Year | Champions | Title | Runners-up | Next edition | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All-Britain Junior Football Championship | 2022 | London | Warwickshire | 2023 | |||
| All-Britain Junior Club Football Championship | 2022 | Glasgow Gaels | St Brendan’s | 2023 |
All-Britain Club Junior Football Championship
List of finals
| Year | Winners | Runners-up | Venue | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County | Club | Score | County | Club | Score | ||
| 2022 | SCO
|
Glasgow Gaels | 1-09 | St Brendan’s | 0-07 | ||
| 2021 | LAN
|
St Brendans (Manchester) | 2-10 | WAR
|
Sean McDermotts | 2-08 | McGovern Park |
| 2020 | No championship due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland | ||||||
| 2019 | LON
|
Thomas McCurtains (London) | 1-11 | SCO
|
Glasgow Gaels | 0-07 | Beeston Rd, Leeds |
| 2018 | SCO
|
Dunedin Connollys | 3-12 | Neasden Gaels | 2-12 | ||
| 2017 | SCO
|
Dunedin Connollys | 1-17 | WAR
|
Sean McDermotts | 1-12 | |
| 2016 | SCO
|
Dunedin Connollys | 1-19 (aet) | LAN
|
John Mitchels (Liverpool) | 2-14 | |
| 2015 | LAN
|
John Mitchels (Liverpool) | 2-08 | WAR
|
Sean McDermotts | 0-08 | |
| 2014 | LAN
|
John Mitchels (Liverpool) | 4-12 | LON
|
North London Shamrocks | 3-11 | |
| 2013 | LAN
|
John Mitchels (Liverpool) | 2-15 | SCO
|
Dunedin Connollys | 1-11 | |
| 2012 | LAN
|
St Peter's Manchester | 2-17 | St. Colmcille's, Cardiff | 1-03 | ||
| 2011 | YOR
|
Cuchullains (Newcastle) | 1-06 | LAN
|
John Mitchel’s (Liverpool) | 0-06 | |
| 2010 | LAN
|
St Peter's Manchester | 3-12 | WAR
|
Sean McDermotts | 2-04 | |
| 2009 | SCO
|
Dunedin Connollys | 1-08 | LAN
|
John Mitchel’s (Liverpool) | 2-04 | |
| 2008 | LAN
|
John Mitchel’s (Liverpool) | 1-09 | Tara | 1-04 | ||
| 2007 | LAN
|
John Mitchel’s (Liverpool) | 2-10 | LON
|
Thomas McCurtains (Lon) | 0-07 | |
| 2006 | LON
|
Fulham Irish | 1-11 | LAN
|
Oisins | 0-11 | |
| 2005 | LON
|
Harlesden Harps | 1-11 | SCO
|
Dunedin Connollys | 0-11 | Old Bedians |
| 2004 | LAN
|
St Peter's Manchester | |||||
| 2003 | WAR
|
Sean McDermotts | |||||
| 2002 | WAR
|
Sean McDermotts | |||||
| 2000 | WAR
|
Sean McDermotts | |||||
| 1999 | YOR
|
Hugh O'Neills | 1–11 | WAR
|
Sean McDermotts | 0–04 | |
| 1997 | Southern Gaels, Bournemouth | ||||||
| 1995 | WAR
|
Sean McDermotts | |||||
| 1994 | LAN
|
Oisins | |||||
| 1989 | LON
|
Kingdom | 1–12 | St. Vincent's, Luton | 0–04 | ||
| 1988 | WAR
|
John Mitchel's | |||||
| 1982 | YOR
|
Hugh O'Neills | 1–06 | LON
|
Parnells, London | 0–08 | |
| 1980 | Tara | 1–08 | YOR
|
Hugh O'Neills | 2–02 | ||
Note: this championship does not include London's senior champions since 2002[2]
All-Britain Junior Football Championship
Roll of honour
| # | Team | Titles | Runners-Up | Years won | Years runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Warwickshire
|
5 | 7 | 1968, 1969, 1973, 2006, 2021 | 2008, 2011, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022 |
 Lancashire
|
5 | 2 | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016 | 2007, 2009 | |
| 3 | London
|
3 | 4 | 2007, 2009, 2022 | 2010, 2012, 2016, 2021 |
 Kilkenny
|
3 | 0 | 2015, 2017, 2018 | - | |
| 5 | Scotland
|
2 | 2 | 2014, 2019 | 2006, 2015 |
| 6 | Gloucestershire
|
1 | 0 | 2008 | - |
| 7 | Hertfordshire
|
0 | 1 | - | 2013 |
List of finals
| Year | Winners | Runners-Up | Venue | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County | Score | County | Score | ||
| 2023 | Warwickshire | 1-18 (21) AET | London | 1-15 (18) | Pairc na h'Eireann |
| 2022 | London | 3-14 (23) | Warwickshire | 3-08 (17) | McGovern Park, Pairc na h'Eireann |
| 2021 | Warwickshire | 1-10, 2–13 (19) | London | 0-13, 0-08 (8) | McGovern Park (Pairc na h'Eireann) |
| 2020 | No Championship | ||||
| 2019 | Scotland | 3–12 (21) | Warwickshire | 3–11 (20) | Pairc na h'Eireann |
| 2018 | Kilkenny | 6–12 (30) | Warwickshire | 0–09 (9) | Pairc na h'Eireann |
| 2017 | Kilkenny | 3–15 (24) | Warwickshire | 1–06 (9) | Pairc na h'Eireann |
| 2016 | Lancashire | 1–10 (13) | London | 2–06 (12) | |
| 2015 | Kilkenny | 2-07 (13) | Scotland | 0-08 (8) | Edinburgh |
| 2014 | Scotland | 3–10 (19) | Warwickshire | 2–07 (13) | Pairc na h'Eireann |
| 2013 | Lancashire | 2-12 (18) | Hertfordshire | 1-11 (14) | |
| 2012 | Lancashire | 2–10 (16) | London | 0–10 (10) | |
| 2011 | Lancashire | 1–11 (14) | Warwickshire | 0–04 (4) | |
| 2010 | Lancashire | 0-16 (16) | London | 1-06 (9) | |
| 2009 | London | 2-06 (12) | Lancashire | 0-10 (10) | |
| 2008 | Gloucestershire | 1-12 (15) | Warwickshire | 0-06 (6) | |
| 2007 | London | 0-11 (11) | Lancashire | 0-09 (9) | |
| 2006 | Warwickshire | Scotland | Pairc na h'Eireann | ||
| 1973 | Warwickshire | ||||
| 1969 | Warwickshire | ||||
| 1968 | Warwickshire | ||||
References
- ^ "CLG na Breataine - súil siar agus ar aghaidh". Beo!. 2010. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
- ^ "The All-Britain junior title race is on". 16 October 2019.
External links
- Britain.gaa.ie
- British GAA on Hoganstand.com
- London GAA site
- English clubs (archived 2015)
- Welsh clubs (archived 2006)
- Scottish clubs (archived 2016)