A brief history
Hong Kong's first men's team - victorious in Manila 1996
The club was formed in 1995 by a group of Irish engineers and architects to provide men and ladies Gaelic football for Irish expatriates in Hong Kong.
With the construction of Hong Kong International Airport and other ancillary engineering projects, Hong Kong was awash with Irish engineers, architects and construction workers at that time and hence the numbers playing on a weekly basis were very healthy.
Success came quickly for the men's team as they dominated the inaugural Asian Gaelic Games in Manila in 1996 and then the year after in 1997, also in Manila. They set the early standards that have since been exceeded. Since then, the men have maintained a high standing, finally winning the Asian Games again in 2006 in Shanghai against Singapore, a year after being beaten in a tense final against Dubai. In 2007, the club broke new ground by sending a team to the Gulf Games in Dubai. Easilly overcoming many sides from Ireland and the UK in the earlier rounds, they were narrowly beaten by a point in the final by Limavady Wolfhounds from Derry. The same year, the Men's team became the first club from outside of Europe to compete in the Kilmacud Crokes Sevens. In 2008, the men captured their first three in-a-row of Asian titles (and only the 2nd team after Korea to achieve this) , their fifth in total
In between, Hong Kong Ladies took over the mantle of champion bearers from the men. They won the first three ladies cups, the first in Singapore and the others in Phuket. Since then, they have conceded ground to the Japan Ladies, but after a rebuilding process were unlucky not to win in Hong Kong in 2003, being beaten in sudden death extra time by Japan. However, 2004 was the Hong Kong Ladies' year with both teams enjoying the sweet taste of victory at the IrishAbroad.com Asian Gaelic Football Sevens. Team Lan Kwai Fong won the Plate final and team Wanchai took away the ladies' cup in the final against Singapore. In 2006 the Ladies A team made it to the Cup final losing in overtime to Dubai.
Hosting the Vodafone Football All Stars in 2005
The club organises tours on a regular basis, social and charity events and is one of the main focuses of the Irish community in Hong Kong. In the last two years the club has sent teams to Dubai, Dublin, Shanghai, Bangkok, Beijing, Singapore, Penang and Taiwan. The Summer League (for players of all standards, old and young, beginners and experts) has been a huge success for the club and is rightly the highlight of the Club's year with up to 200 players competing over a two month period.
The club had the honour of hosting the Vodafone All Stars Football Tour in January 2005. The event was an incredible success and by many accounts the HKGAA has raised the bar for future All Stars Tour hosts, many times over.
HKGAA Honours
Asian Gaelic Games
2006 Men's Asian Champions
Mens Football Championship
1996 Manila - winners
1997 Manila - winners
2005 Shanghai - runners-up
2006 Shanghai - winners
2007 Singapore - Winners & Bowl Winners
2008 Penang - Winners
Added to these, Will Murray won Player of the Tournament in Shanghai, 2006. MJ Tierney won the Alan Power Player of the Tournament in Penang, 2008.
In Penang 2008, the club had four inductees in the inaugural Asian Men's All Star team - MJ Tierney (Laois), Ed Cosgrove (Galway), Diarmuid Kinsella (Wexford), and Will Murray (Longford).
Clean sweep - Ladies Cup & Plate Winners 2004
Ladies Football Championship
1999 Singapore - winners
2000 Phuket - winners
2001 Phuket - winners
2003 Hong Kong - runner-up (sudden-death)
2004 Hong Kong - winners
2006 Shanghai - runners-up (extra time)\\
Ladies Plate
2004 Hong Kong - winners
Player of the Tournament Awards have gone to Cathy Mullin (2004 in Hong Kong) and Antje Keim (2006 in Shanghai). In 2008, penang, Elaine Morgan was awarded an all star in the Inaugural Asian Ladies All Stars team.
Gulf Games
Men's and Ladies All China Winners in Shenzhen 2006
Men's Football Championship
2007 Dubai - Runners-up
All China Games
Mens Football Championship
2002 Shanghai - winners (there were no cups or medals)
2004 Shanghai - winners(The cup was on loan)
2005 Beijing - runners-up
2006 Shenzhen - winners
Ladies Football Championship
2004 Shanghai - winners
2005 Beijing - winners
2006 Shenzhen - winners
Past winners of Player of the Tournament have included Dara Vaughan, Antje Keim, Ed Cosgrove and Michael Lacy
2008 Club Awards
Female Player of the Year: Niamh McMullan
Male Player of the Year: Del Boy
Male Most Improved Player: John O'Reilly
Female Most Improved Player: Ruth Wynne
Female Best Newcomer: Bess Hepworth
Male Best Newcomer: Simon Galvin
Special Awards -
Sergant Major of the Year Award: Clara McInerney
Best Attack on a Seoul Player's Elbow: Sandie Gillespie-Wong
Best Gaelic Impersonator: Kirsty Smith
The Longest Going Away Party Ever: Fergal Power
Slapped-like-a-bitch Award: Andrew Gardner
Fergal Power Impersonation Award: Waltor Ellicott
Best hands-free score Award: Buckshot
2007 Club Awards
Shane Harmon
|Antje Keim
|JJ Neville-Hall of FameMale Player of the Year: Shane Harmon
Female Player of the Year: Niamh McMullan
Male Most Improved Player: Padraig Walsh
Female Most Improved Player: Sarah Milner
2006 Club Awards
Male Player of the Year: Shane Harmon
Female Player of the Year: Antje Keim
Male Best Newcomer: Dave Azar
Female Best Newcomer:
Male Most Improved Player: Patrick Wong
Female Most Improved Player:
Hong Kong GAA Hall of Fame Inductee: JJ Neville
2005 Club Awards
Male Player of the Year: Cozie (aka Edward Cosgrove)
Female Player of the Year: Katrina Oxenham
Male Best Newcomer: Jamie Liddle
Female Best Newcomer: Anna Gamvros
Male Most Improved Player: Paddy Jolliffe
Female Most Improved Player: Geraldine Blake
Best Supporter: Joe, Conor and Thomas Duggan
Hong Kong GAA Hall of Fame Inductee: Fergal Power
Special Awards -
Travel Organiser Extraordinaire: Julie Preisler
Future All Star: Thomas Duggan
Sexiest Stretch: JJ "Yoga" Neville "The one stretch is all I need!"
The Lazarus Award: Noel Smyth Back from the dead to play in the summer league and the Asian Games.
Most Dedicated GAA Couple: Elaine Morgan and Ryan Harper
2004 Year-End Club Awards
Male Player of the Year: Michael Lacy
Female Player of the Year: Cathy Mullin
Male Best Newcomer: Allan Ferrie
Female Best Newcomer: Antje Keim
Male Most Improved Player: Ross Martin
Female Most Improved Player: Katrina Oxenham
Best Supporter: Orla Thomas
Hong Kong GAA Hall of Fame Inductee: Michael Lacy
Special Awards -
Club Personality of the Year: Fergal Power
Dancer of the Year: Ryan Harper
Award Accepter of the Year: Serena Grimes
Best ...something: John Hone