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JUIY/AUGUST 2000
PICTURED at the Scribes Rugby Club is Kate McNamee (Treasurer for the Irish Sporting and Social Club) and her brother William, who is visiting from County Offaly. They were on hand, along with other members of the Sporting and Social Club, to watch the Gaelic games.
OTHER LONG-TIME Irish Sporting and Social Club members at the Scribes Rugby Club were (L-R) Paul Stack, John O'Flynn and Sadie and Colm O'Brien.
AT THE SCRIBES Rugby Club to watch the Irish games were Monica Moran, visiting from Dublin, pictured here with her daughter Deirdre who now lives in Vancouver.
Gaelic Games Feature Competitive Enthusiasm
By CATHOLINE BUTLER
In North America, it is considered a sell-out crowd at a hockey game when there are 17,000 fans present. Hurling and Gaelic football are Ireland's national games and sell-out crowds at those events can be 40,000 or more at the All-Ireland finals.
Infectious, competitive enthusiasm is evident among old and young alike in all the counties of Ireland when the teams reach finals.
When I spoke to Kieron (Blackie) Gavin, the Mayor of Castlebar, County Mayo in March, he spoke about that kind of enthusiasm saying, "We have great supporters
ALSO AT THE SCRIBES were (L-R) Paul Walsh (Galway), Frank Dunne (Port Laois), John Young (Tipperary), David Donnelly (visiting from Ardee, County Louth), with his Brother Shane Donnelly.
here. The excitement is unbelievable when the people are preparing for the All-Ireland.
"They do up their cars and make up songs about the Mayo team. You wouldn't see anything like this anywhere else in the world. It's just a great atmosphere."
This same enthusiasm takes over all the counties as they urge their home team to bring home the winning cup. Transplanted Irish from every county have also brought that game enthusiasm with them to North America. Now, instead of calling home every Sunday to find out what the score is and how their team is doing, they can watch the Gaelic games live via satellite as they are beamed in to many parts of the world.
In Vancouver, the Irish Sporting and Social Club pre-tape the early morning Irish games (early in Vancouver because of the eight hour time difference) and show the games in the evening at the Scribes Rugby Club.
As with all Irish sporting events, there is always the occasion to get together to discuss strategies of the game, or as the Irish call it, "the craic," the Irish word for fun.
BRIDEY AND BILL RITCHIE (formerly of Scotland), celebrating their fortieth wedding anniversary at the British Ex-Servicemen's Association Club along with family and friends. Bridey is part of the British Ex staff and is well-known for pulling the perfect pint!
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