Pan-European Tournament, Limerick 2011

The Stockholm Gaels Ladies Football Team was established in 2010. Captained by Anna Rönngård (former Asian Champion with the Shanghai Sirens) and coached by the club chairman Phil O’Connor, we are dedicated to providing a fun, friendly sporting environment and to going as far as we can in every competition we enter.

Ladies’ Update!

The Stockholm Gaels ladies’ team went from strength to strength during 2011! Our first training session took place on a snowy winter’s evening at the end of January, thankfully indoors, at Abrahamsbersskolan. We had a great turn-out of 15 girls, all willing to learn or improve their Gaelic Football skills. Our coach Phil O’Connor held a fun, competitive training session, and the enthusiastic and sociable atmosphere ensured all 15 girls returned every week, bringing friends with them. We had 21 girls training in that hall one evening – boy were we glad when we moved the trainings outside!

Once Spring arrived, we began training outside twice a week. We trained in Husby on Wednesdays from 19.00-20.30, and on Sundays in Gärdet from 12.00-13.30. Most of our players only started to play Gaelic Football this year, and the improvement in skill level since January is phenomenal! There are as many Swedes playing as there are Irish now, and we also have girls from Germany, Scotland, England and China playing with us. We have been welcoming new players into our club all year, from beginners to elite players and we are always delighted to see a new face! Playing Gaelic Footaball is a fun, sociable way of keeping fit learning new skills and making a whole new circle of friends! For more information or to join the club, please send us an e-mail or see the Membership page.

Copenhagen, June 2011

Stockholm Gaels Ladies’ Team played in their first tournament in Copenhagen on June 10^th2011. It was a very enjoyable weekend, with lots of good football played, but unfortunately for us, Copenhagen came out top in the end. For a more detailed review of the weekend, check out the report on Stockholm Gaels Homepage.

On August 20^th, our Ladies Teams competed against Tallinn in Årstafältet, Stockholm. Four competitive games were played in very wet conditions, with Stockholm Team Two, captained by Ciara Mulligan, coming out on top. A great night of celebrations was had by all in The Dubliner!

Stockholm, August 2011

The Pan-European Ladies Tournament was next on the cards, and the Stockholm Ladies’ Team travelled to Brussels on September 10^th to compete. We surprised all the European teams by coming fourth in our very first European Tournment! A very enjoyable day was had by all, one of the highlights being meeting the legendary GAA commentator Michael O Muircheartaigh.

The final leg of the Pan-European Tournament took place in the European City of Sport for 2011 – Limerick City in Ireland! Teams from all over Europe descended on Limerick on November 5^th, greeted by surprisingly sunny, warm weather in the excellent sports facilities in the University of Limerick. Stockholm Gaels Ladies and Men’s Teams competed in tough, high-intensity games, cheered on by their families and friends who had travelled from all around Ireland to support us! After five great games of Gaelic Football, Stockholm Ladies earned a very respectable 5^th place. The European Winners, Brussels A, commented that Stockholm are definitely a team to watch out for in 2012!!