ICC Sponsors UMass Gaelic Football Club

The ICC is proud to officially sponsor the UMass Gaelic Football Club. ICC President, Sean Cahillane, said, “We are thankful to be able to support and influence Irish sports, culture and history so directly in the western New England area.”

UMass played their first game at the ICC on April 27 against The College of the Holy Cross. It was great to see the excitement of the first Gaelic football game being played on our field, bringing another important element of Irish culture to the ICC for the whole community to enjoy.

Aidan Skillin, president of the UMass Gaelic Football Club, stated, “We all had a great time yesterday – the ICC was very hospitable and made us feel welcome. It was great to get down there and show what collegiate GAA has to offer. The final score was UMass: 4-5 (17) to HC: 5-1 (16). Hard fought game by both sides.”

Gaelic football has been played in North America ever since Irish immigrants brought this important piece of their cultural heritage with them. The first historical recording of the sport can be found as early as the 14th century. Gaelic football as it is played today dates back to the late 1800s. It combines suspense, skills and speed in an action-packed sport.

ICC Co-Vice President Ed Sullivan is proud of this new partnership. “It was great to see the GAA affiliation between the ICC and the University of Massachusetts Amherst come to fruition on the ICC field yesterday! A tremendous accomplishment by all concerned bringing GAA to Western Massachusetts.”

The National Collegiate Gaelic Athletic Association was established in 2009 by college students to assist in the development of new hurling and Gaelic football teams on college campuses throughout North America. (www.ncgaa.org)