This article is from page 18 of the 2012-03-13 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 18 JPG
BRITAIN’S newest GAA club is looking for Clare footballers who are emigrating to London this year to join the growing list of Banner players at Éire Óg in London.
The club, which was founded last year, has become a haven for the Banner abroad, with Ballyvaughan man Martin Nilan now in service as club chairman and assistant manag- er while Kilnaboy man Paul Maher is coaching the team this year.
Éire Óg London will this year field a Junior B team but they are hoping that an influx of Clare talent may help them to gain promotion.
“The club was just set up last year and it is going very well so far. We train in Finsbury up in North London and we will be fielding a Junior B team once the competitions get started over here in two weeks time,” said Martin Nilan.
“There are a lot of jobs going in London at the moment so we are seeing lots of lads from Clare coming over. We are trying to catch them and to let them know that there is a club for them over here.
“We get people from all over Ireland joining up to the club – there are lads from Sligo, lads from Dublin, everywhere – but there is a big Clare focus to the club.
“We have been really getting going over the last 12 months. We have been training for a few weeks now and we think we are ahead of most of the clubs in the area.”
With the Olympics coming up this summer, London has become the destination of choice for many Clare people leaving Ireland to work.
“There has been a big influx of Irish people over the last 12 months so the club teams are getting more and more competitive. Once people arrive, there is a rush to sign them up to a club and, once they are signed, it is very difficult to move. We like to let people come and have a look around, and to train with us before they commit to anything.
“I’ve been here 28 years now and Paul has been here for 10. There’s never been so much interest in playing football in London as there is now.”
Anyone interesting in becoming part of the Banner brigade at Éire Óg London can contact Martin on 07541374766 or email him on mjnilan@hotmail.co.uk.