Thanks for that MiddleEastExile! I've only recently noticed this thread and hadn't read your earlier posts. Lived in Dubai for a couple of years. Who won the competitions?

BoyneView (Meath) - Posts: 60 - 25/01/2009 01:42:46    188912

Ireland, and just about every other country on earth are heading into or already are in serious recessions,month after month hundreds if not thousand of people are losing there jobs in Ireland but trust the good old GA.A. to announce there displeasure with the 20 million profit for 08( you can be sure its more) these people who continue to treat the public as if they are idiots who have nothing better to do with there money than travel to Gaelic events to pay exorbitant prices, are hopefully in for a rude awakening 09, if they are so concerned about attendance why don't they reduce admissions until things start turning around with the economy.

The Tan Open (None) - Posts: 8 - 25/01/2009 05:42:15    188917

Dubfanabroad - played with Setanta San Diego in your tournament last July - had a brilliant time. The gaels are a great club - are ye having the same thing this year?

rod123 (USA) - Posts: 12 - 25/01/2009 05:55:09    188918

Boyne View,

The Celts got to the final of the A comp and got hammered by Carrigtwohill from Cork in the final. The Al Barsha Bombers won the social comp which was a right laugh to play in. One of the teams we played yesterday had 2 or 3 ringers who weren't there on Friday and instead of a comfortable win which we thought we were on for we got beat. It wouldn't be a GAA competition without a few ringers I guess so we all laughed it off. Reckon our opponents where doing a bit of wining and dining of some of the guest players who were over on the Friday night. It's just a shame we never thought of it first. Who said a social division is not competitive eh?

MiddleEastExile (UK) - Posts: 26 - 25/01/2009 12:48:28    188946

jayo, i dont know of him, more involved with the gaa circles than soccer, i wouldnt even be a good sub on a soccer team!! have been in the purple shamrock a few times, down around faneuil hall, all good spots

bostondkb (Tyrone) - Posts: 35 - 25/01/2009 15:28:29    188976

I have to say that this is without a doubt the best thread ever on HS absolutely briliant stuff.

Dubfanabroad I have to say that I was in tears reading your post and few other I wasnt far behind either. I am particular happy that so many of you have such an attachment to the overseas GAA clubs and that they have given you a base to be sucessful in foreign lands

omaghjoe (Tyrone) - Posts: 1191 - 25/01/2009 16:24:53    189002

Hey Rod123,
We hope to have the tournament at the festival again this year. Will be giving everyone the details as soon as we put it together. Glad you enjoyed last year. We always try to make sure if a team makes the effort to come, that we put on a god show. By the way, been to san Diego several times over the years and San Diego Setanta are a class act too.

Dubfan Abroad (Dublin) - Posts: 282 - 26/01/2009 01:39:47    189288

without a doubt probably the most enjoyable thread to read. some really interesting stories on here...

strabane harp (Tyrone) - Posts: 47 - 26/01/2009 11:42:41    189433

Was living in England when I applied for a job in California. They interviewed me and made me an offer I couldn't refuse, I've never looked back. The difference in lifestyle is unbelievable. I lived in the north of England where the people are mostly friendly, down to earth, and love the Irish, but I never felt fully at home there. I do here. Been here 8 years now, no intention of moving back. It's Northern California so the climate's nice, you get a few weeks of light rain in the winter, after that it's temps in the 20s to low 40s. San Francisco has a microclimate that's a bit cooler than the rest of the bay area, usually by about 5 or 10 degrees. Leave the city either over the Golden Gate Bridge or head south and you're back in the heat again. The beach is never far away. Thriving GAA scene, growing all the time. I work in the semiconductor industry which is taking a bit of a hit at the minute, but I'm getting by because I've been in the same company all this time and I'm well established.

eamonnca1 (USA) - Posts: 6 - 31/01/2009 00:36:41    194708

any jobs over there eamon?! :D

Id love to get back to the states.

pronane (None) - Posts: 324 - 04/02/2009 17:13:26    198208

been living outside london coming up to a year now and while i like it over here im pretty homesick. when your outside of the main irish areas it can be a lonely place. i joined a gud gaa team which has made me feel very welcome and involved me in everything and it feels great to be part of an irish community with people of a similar backround. as d recession takes its toll im out of a job now and cant find any work, and not 4 d lack of trying. with money running out im longing to go home and as soppy as it might seem i miss my local gaa club and all my teamates, despite what i might of thought about some before! no matter where u go in life you can never forget where you came from and you can always hold in your heart that when and if you ever return home you can be guaranteed a friendly welcome and a sense of belonging. while my few months away was a great experience i think i will appreciate even more what my local club means to me.

countryblue (UK) - Posts: 1 - 24/02/2009 15:05:01    216955

One of the great threads - well worth another read!

Dubinmeath (Dublin) - Posts: 1123 - 11/05/2009 23:18:28    280579

just found this forum despite reading webpage everyday!!!anyway my story is a little different,i am in saudia arabia,keep intouch with the gaa goings on with the help of all online daily papers,rte and hs webs.its not bad here,money is good and suntan is free!!here five years now,love to go home but the big r word means i have to hang on another while,its hard being here this time of year when the championship is getting under way,been to a few big sporting occasions,think there is nothing like a munster final in thurles in early july,the sea of red n white(when they are playing) when you walk into the square is breathtaking!!get all the games taped and usually find a victim to bring them back here,so keep up to speed as much as possible.think the hs forums are great some very witty stuff!!rte radio on a sunday is a lifesaver,but would be great to see the games live on the media player. we actually showed the 2 A IS here in the irish embassy a few years ago.anyway looking forward to the 09 championship,be great to see tipp waterford or galway lift liam mc,or maybe cork but not this year i think,might get sam!

arabrebel (Cork) - Posts: 42 - 14/05/2009 20:45:00    283731

Some great stories on here. For me, I got sick of commuting to Dublin every day for work, it was no life to live and had to get out of it. I've always had itchy feet so when a job opportunity in Bermuda fell into my lap almost 3 years ago, it was a no brainer. Sometimes you miss home but I guess it's not as bad as others. We set up the GAA over here, the 3rd year of the league starts next week, so you don't feel as far away from home. It can range from 7 to 10 a-side depending on numbers but we have 4 teams and run off a league and All-Island championship. Quite a few Irish playing but we've recruited loads of other nationalities who fell in love with football. And we have Setanta and live streaming for RTE so we catch all the games back home thankfully. Even without how things are back in Ireland, not sure I'd move back anyway. Plenty of sun, some of the most amazing beaches in he world, good money and a 5 minute walk to work are all going to be hard to leave! Even the odd hurricane can't dampen that! Good crowd of Irish here too so makes it easier being away. But I know how important a club can be to people who move abroad, the chances are you're meeting people who were at some point in the same boat as you were and everyone kind of looks out for each other. It brings a great sense of pride seeing how something completely Irish is so popular. It can be a strange feeling when your South African and Canadian housemates both say to switch on the hurling or football rather than ice-hockey/basketball etc. Being abroad really does give you a greater sense of pride at being Irish and your heritage, I try to speak Irish with as many people as I can but unfortunately most don't have anything useable. It can backfire though, made a comment to a friend in Irish about a cailin ailainn and she turned around and thanked me in Irish, turned out she was from Cork. Ouch!

Bermuda_Bomber (Meath) - Posts: 101 - 14/05/2009 21:31:18    283783

in england now cos the missus over here and got a great job offer.

hard to adjust a first everyone here is very reserved dont say bad words and arent much craic need to meet up with irish for a proper laugh

however its not a bad part of wold either close enough to home to visit a lot and pay good some lovely places to visit

gaa is strong in london loads of great pubs to watch the matches

i always think of ireland more fondly when away than when in it - its an interesting irony!!

stranmillis29 (Antrim) - Posts: 788 - 14/05/2009 21:39:41    283798

Bermuda Bomber - we have a Bermuda Gael that posts - he is either a Dub or Monaghan I think!!!!! You know him?

Dubinmeath (Dublin) - Posts: 1123 - 15/05/2009 01:03:13    284036

Some great stories here lads, wonder if those of you in the uk could tell me if there are any Gaa clubs in the newcastle area, as its one of the things i miss most from home. As someone else said, theres nothing like hearing an irish accent over here to brighten your day!! Moved over here a year ago for university,still have a few years to go, and would love to play camogie/ladies football or even go to watch mens games.... might help curb the homesickness for a while!

Miss.lost (UK) - Posts: 12 - 15/05/2009 01:23:35    284043

Dubinmeath, I do indeed know him, he's captain of my team here. Sound man, he's Monaghan but spent time playing in Dublin I think.

Bermuda_Bomber (Meath) - Posts: 101 - 15/05/2009 14:51:43    284507

As I commented on another thread this is the best HS thread ever. Cheers to Breffni39 for finding it

Dr.Shephard (Leitrim) - Posts: 2187 - 31/07/2009 10:59:07    371098

Aw lads this is a lovely thread. I spent three years working in France as Beauty Therapist...didn't have to leave just wanted to leave ha ha. I lived in Lyon and frequented Ryans in Perrache to watch games. Irish abroad really stick together is the thought that struck me most when I lived there. We're very protective over each other and I miss that now that I'm back. Bermuda Bomber that sounds like a lovely life you have going over there not leasgt the 5 mins commute to work. Fair play to you all!

Jackeen (Dublin) - Posts: 4097 - 31/07/2009 11:12:22    371130