Taking the Field of Glory: May Midwest Gaelic Athletic Association
by Vincent Beach
You might recognize a new beer at your local, but Sullivan’s Maltings Irish Ale is anything but a rookie.
The Kilkenny company is now shipping to Buffalo and Cleveland, with the plan to provide their iconic brews to more Great Lakes cities; making it a perfect partner with the Midwest GAA. The sponsorship by Sullivan’s provides the Midwest with funds for its games’ development, youth programs, and all-star teams.
The Smithwick family (yes, those Smithwick’s) have now partnered with the direct descendant of the original, 300-year-old brewing family, the Sullivan’s, to provide artisan brews to Kilkenny and beyond. They families have enlisted the renowned, contemporary master-brewer Ian Hamilton, formally of Guinness, and are winning awards amongst the best breweries in the world (an International Brewing Awards Winner).
The Midwest GAA summer schedule is out for Hurling and Men’s Football, with plans to have a Ladies Football schedule out before the publishing of this periodical. The hurlers are starting in May, whilst the footballers begin full sided games in June.
This year’s Midwest Finals are in Akron, and the event is now marketed to be one action-packed day of hurling, men and ladies football, and youth Gaelic games, all followed by ceol agus craic! (music and … there’s really no encompassing english word for good time, party, entertainment, conversation, friendship, and hullabaloo).
Cleveland GAA. Saturday May 11this the date to mark as Cleveland hosts the inaugural 7-A-Side Gaelic Football Tournament at the West Side Irish American Club. Games begin at 10:30a.m. and will go until 6 p.m. on two fields. Both Ladies’ and Men’s football will be showcased.
Admission is reasonably priced at $0.00 while parking may peak as high as $0.00. Games will be fast paced and high scoring by nature. Many thanks to the participating clubs from Chicago, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Columbus, Detroit, and Pittsburgh; and to all the day’s sponsors and volunteers.
Come cheer on your club and stay for the evening craic. A memorial trophy (honoring those GAA members who have gone from this life) will be presented to the winners. This year’s trophy is in honor of our own George Dunne, suaimhneas síoraí tabhair dó, a Thiarna.
Contact [email protected]with questions or to get involved.
Adults. It’s official, Cleveland GAA will have two men’s teams and a ladies’ team competing this summer. Training session have just begun, so feel free to join, learn a new sport, compete against other clubs, and enjoy the athletic comradery. Men will practice Tuesday’s at Impett (Warren Village area) and Thursday’s at the home grounds, Páirc na Naomh (Field of the Saints), at the West Side Irish American Club. The Ladies’ plan to start their training on Wednesday’s at Impett field as well.
Youth. Cheers to the fantastic indoor league our 5 through 12 year old players participated in. Skills and game speed improved each session, as well as the laughter and growing friendships. We had several of our “older/experienced” players (you know about 10 and 11 years old) help coach the 5 and 6 year olds. Great kids all around, we are blessed.
For May, the Youth Club will be providing FREE FRIDAYS once again. Session 1 will be at Impett Field from 6-8p.m. The sessions will be geared towards the new players, with the chance to put the newly discovered skills to action with a scrimmage. Ages 5-12 are welcome.
Come June, the regular summer schedule will be at the WSIA on Sundays from 4-6 p.m., except when the Adult club has home games. This year we want to bring the whole club (adults, players, youth, parents, social members, and supporters) together on game days. The Youth will have their warm-ups then compete after the adults. The kiddos are encouraged to cheer-on and then warm-down with the adult team after the game, while the adult teams are encouraged to cheer on and warm-up our young ‘ins.
Minors. Players under eighteen years of age on January 1, 2019 are welcome to join the Cleveland Minors squad this spring and summer. Are you or someone you know still wanting to compete in meaningful games? Do you want to represent Cleveland? The Gaelic Athletic Association is looking for players of ages between the ages of 16 and 18 to compete regionally and nationally. Contact [email protected] if interested.
The Midwest GAA will be bringing other Minors to town from Detroit, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo to train with high level coaches before the national championships. Sessions are currently planned for June 15 and July 13 before select squads will head to the Continental Championships in Philadelphia on July 25.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh(thanks y’all) to our readers and supporters. Follow @ClevelandGaelic on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for the 2019 activities for Men, Women, and Youth. Or, visit ClevelandGAA.com.
Cumann Lúthchleas Gael. Seo é ó Pháirc an Crócaigh agus breá liom é: Tá áit dúinn uilig anseo, san áit áirithe seo anois. Tá áit dúinn uilig anseo, beag beann ar cé muid féin nó cá as muid. Tá áit dúinn uilig anseo de bharr go bhfuil muid anseo. Is ionann áit a bheith dúinn uilig anseo agus muid a bheith mar chuid de phobal. Pobal ina bhfuil ról againn uilig ann áit a gcothaítear poitéinsiúil agus tallann áit a ndéantar foirne de dhaoine a thugann onóir do oidhreacht na ndaoine a d’imigh rompu agus a dhéanann a ndícheall oidhreacht dá gcui féin a chruthú. Imríonn cuid againn, dímríodh cuid eile againn, níor imir cuid againn ariamh. Tá áit dúinn uilig anseo. Is ionann áit a bheith dúinn uilig anseo agus glór a bheith againn uilig ann. Is ionann é agus cead a bheith againn an rud a cheapeann. Muid a bheith ceart, a rá áit a n-éistear linn. Is ionann áit a bheith dúinn uilig anseo agus meas a bheith againn ar a chéile. Is ionann é agus a bheith ann dá chéile nuair atá muid ar an bpáirc imeartha agus nuair nach bhfuil muid ar an bpáirc imeartha is ionann áit a bheith dúinn uilig ann agus ár gcuid muinchillí a thrusáil agus cibé rud atá le déanamh againn a dhéanamh. Tá áit dúinn uilig ann, is cuma cé acu ár gcéad lá é nó ár gcéadú bliain é. Tá áit dúinn uilig anseo mar is linne uilig an áit seo!
Meet Your Cleveland GAA: Daniel Kampman
Men’s Player & Public Relations Officer (PRO)
Fast Facts:
Hometown: Birmingham, AL
High School: St. Thomas Aquinas (Canton)
College: John Carroll University
Current Residence: Lakewood, Ohio
Career: Associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP.
Daniel (Dan) Kampman fell in love with the sport of Gaelic Football in 2018, his first season with the club. He utilized his background playing defensive tackle (American football) at John Carroll University, to help anchor St. Pat’s/Jarlath’s defense in a successful 2018 campaign. His solid work ethic, mixed with athleticism, paid off, and he was voted the Club’s 2018 “Rookie of the Year” award at the end of the season. Due to his leadership on and off the field, Dan was elected to the Cleveland GAA Board to serve as the PRO for the 2019 calendar year.
When asked about his first season, Kampman commented, “I honestly knew very little about Gaelic (football) when I first started, but the excitement and history surrounding the sport really made me fall in love. I cannot wait to build upon the successes of last year…”
Catch Dan and the rest of the St. Pat’s/St. Jarlath’s Men’s team in a couple of weeks at the West Side Irish American Club for the Cleveland GAA’s – 7-a-side Tournament on May 11th. The first game is at 10:30 a.m. Please see ClevelandGAA.com for more information about the club.
*Vincent Thomas Francis Xavier Beach is a proud Greater Clevelander and emigrant of Michigan. He joined the St. Pat’s Gaelic Football Club in 1999 and, with much help, is the current caretaker of the Cleveland GAA. His Irish is a cross of dialects from the University of Cincinnati and An Cheathrú Rua. With his wife, Michelle, he enjoys watching time absolutely fly by as their children, Ambrose (9), Bernadette (8), and Cedric (5), grow. His other hustles are teaching Irish at PJs, coaching CYO basketball at St. Mary of Berea, coaching soccer in Olmsted TWP, and slanging some engineering skills on local concrete and pipe projects.
