The organising committee of the third annual feile na mBan, Glasgow womens celtic sports festival, can look back on a weekend which showcased all that is good about gaelic sports. This community event more so than any other run by the club highlighted the inclusive ethos of the Tir Conaill Harps club.  This was commented on by the many of the hundreds of participants who travelled from throughout Britain and Ireland.  The foundation is now there to make this one of the biggest GAA events outside Ireland enthused club chairman, Willie Doherty. The festival opened up with a hurling coaching course at Langside college facilitated by Connacht Council coach, Damian Curley.  Twelve students have now qualified as hurling coaches and they will be working in five East End primary schools as part of their HND course. The Harps already have  an under 12s camogie and hurling club in the East End through its work in St.Michaels and Thorntree primary schools. Later that day sixty five youngsters from the four local primary schools representing many nations filed into Glenconner Park, in Glasgows Garngad area for their first ever exposure to gaelic football.  The two hour session certainly wetted their appetite and a six week block of coaching followed by a tournament is planned for all four schools over the winter months.   In the evening the first part of the football foundation course facilitated by Adrian Hassett from Galway was held in the Royston Youth Action centre.  This group were invaluable supporters of the festival, apart from opening up their facilities to the club for the first time; they also ran a community café throughout the festival.  The second part of the course was held at Glenconner Park, on the Saturday morning. Despite the terrible weather conditions ten new qualified coaches emerged to help build the long term future of the club.  On the playing side it was to be a long hard day for the volunteers putting up the goals and playing camogie.  Eight teams entered the tournament with St.Vincent's, Dublin dominating proceedings with both their A and B teams qualifying for the final.  The Harps were to be bitterly disappointed after their best showing to date in the tournament to lose out by a single point in the semi final.   The following day was the turn of the seven football teams, a short delay in starting could be put down to the previous nights sell out  Hooley in Drummonds. Honours again went to the Dubs, with Man o War beating Armagh side Tullysaran in a thrilling final.  The Harps were unlucky not to qualify for the semi-final as having a number of dual players on the team who had played throughout the day before did have an adverse effect.    However, the highlight in a sporting sense for many was the hosting of a shinty/ camogie International fixture.  The full Scotland team, including five Harps players were on show, and they easily overcame the challenge of their Irish counterparts. The team was made up of players from all the clubs competing at the feile.    There were many volunteers, none more so than festival chairperson Janice Aitken and club secretary, Grace McBride, who helped make the festival a great success but the support of other partner organisations who had an input such as Langside College and Royston Youth Action was invaluable as was the financial support from the Sports Council for Glasgow and our sponsor Mick Coyle of Mevagh Contracts.  The committee also appreciated the efforts of the local Irish community who erected the flags of all thirty two counties and four provinces around the pitch side to welcome our many visitors.  We also appreciated the help from our fellow gaels in the Glasgow Gaels club who provided portable goals and helped referee a number of games. Tweet

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