Amsterdam Gaelic Athletic Club are 2011 European Shield Champions, following the conclusion of the European GAA season at the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick, on Saturday November 5th.

On the back of three consecutive Pan-European tournament wins, Amsterdam travelled to the Gaelic Grounds with the overall European title already secured, and enjoyed a thrilling clash in the final with Benelux rivals Belgium which went to sudden death injury time. As one of the largest clubs in Europe, Amsterdam has two full men's squads with the Amsterdam B's also claiming their most successful ever result, finishing third out of 12 teams. The Gaelic Grounds hosted the final Pan European tournament of year, to celebrate Limerick's role as European Capital of Sport.

Kildare native, Derek Lowry, captained Amsterdam to their European success, and paid tribute to both of Amsterdam's teams; "It's a fantastic achievement to win a European GAA title and it's down to the hard work of every player on both squads. At the start of the season, we sat down and set the target to win the league, and throughout a long season, we never questioned our ability to do it. To have two teams competing in the European League is great for the club and provides competition for every spot on both teams. The Benelux league is a great indicator for the overall European competition, and we faced great competition there, so to come out the other side with a European title, it's testament to the strength and character of all our players".

Amsterdam's aim next year is to be the first club in Europe with three full squads competing, and naturally new players are on the mindset of Amsterdam coach and Monaghan man, Brendan Finnegan; "Next year we want to increase to three mens teams, and already over the past few weeks, we've had numerous enquiries from new players looking to join both our mens and ladies teams. Being the center of the Irish community in The Netherlands, we're always available to help any players interested in moving to The Netherlands, or help people already based here, and we can also assist with sourcing accommodation and employment. This year we've seen a large surge in our number of college and Erasmus student players, and they've played a key role in the progress of the club, so I'd encourage anybody to get in touch even if they're only here for a number of months. The club was set up in Amsterdam, but we've players from various cities in The Netherlands and we arrange social events and trainings across the country, so it truly is a national club".

Deirdre White, originally from Meath, and chairwoman of the Holland Ladies, believes the success of the men's teams will act as a springboard for future success for the Amsterdam ladies; "The ladies team is extremely proud to see Amsterdam winning the Men's European Shield, and as former European Ladies Champions, Holland Ladies will be looking to reclaim the ladies title next year. At the recent tournament in Belgium, or newest player, Rose Holland, picked up the European Player of Tournament award, and we've a number of star players throughout out our team. We're always looking to grow as a squad, and welcome anybody who's interested in getting involved, either playing, or on the social front of the club. Amsterdam GAC isn't just about the football; we have regular social nights, barbecues, pub quizzes, and race nights, so there's always something for everybody".

Kerryman and Chairman of Amsterdam GAC, David Corcoran, believes all the structures are firmly in place for Amsterdam to be the center of gaelic games in Europe; "2011 has been an incredible year for all involved with the club - from the ongoing successes with all the teams team, as well as the club moving to two new full-sized pitches with a state of the art clubhouse to be built next year, the future is bright for this club. To claim a European GAA title in Ireland is something the players and management will never forget, and it's a credit to everybody involved in the side. As well as the football side, we've gained a number of new hurlers, so it's another aspect the club will look to build on, and aim to cement our position as Europe's leading GAA club".

If you are interested in joining Amsterdam GAC, or are looking for more information about moving to The Netherlands you can check out the club website at
www.amsterdamgac.nl
and club blog at
amsterdamgaa.blogspot.com
or contact David Corcoran at [email protected] Tweet

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