This article is from page 8 of the 2011-01-04 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 8 JPG
THE legacy of Michael Cusack is being felt as far away as Warsaw thanks to the work of fellow Clare man, Eoin Sheedy.
The Ogonnelloe native was part of a small group of Irish ex-pats who set-up Poland’s first GAA club last year and will return to Poland after his Christmas break later this week to take up the position of Club President of Cumann Warszawa.
Sheedy moved to Poland on a temporary basis more than two years ago but after enjoying a six month trial in Warsaw has decided to put down some roots. In recent time a flood of Irish emigrants have allowed him to realise his dream of setting up Poland’s first GAA club.
“It is unbelievable how it has turned around. When I was going over there first the whole plane was filled with Polish people – I’d be the only Irish person on the plane most of the time. That has changed big time. I go on the plane now and I’d know half the people on the plane and know that they are Irish lads travelling back and forth for work. A lot of the Poles have gone back and a lot of the Irish are now going over there looking for work,” says Eoin.
“When I went over there first I used to head down to the Irish pub, the only one that was in the place, and you might be there on your own. But now there might be 20 or 30 lads at all the matches, no matter who is playing. In the last year I have seen a massive influx.
“There are a lot of lads over there working on the roads. Lads are saying that construction is finished in Ireland so they decided they would try the hand in Poland.”
Cumann Warszawa completed their first season in 2010 and now have both a ladies’ and a men’s team.
“I always had it in my head to start a club. I had worked in Stockholm and they had a club there but in the beginning it wasn’t feasible, there wasn’t enough people. But then more and more people started coming so we decided that we would give it a go,” continued Eoin.
“The club doesn’t play hurling be cause the skill level is just too high and I haven’t played football before in my life but I’m kicking away now and it’s great craic.
“The European teams are 11-a-side and we have enough now to field a men’s and a women’s team. We play in the Eastern European league with Budapest, Prague and Vienna. We actually won the European Shield Competition back in October – we have some fantastic footballers over there at the moment,” Eoin claimed.