“Gaelic Games in the US has never been as popular, with growth in the number of clubs, teams and players. The increasing involvement and participation of people without an Irish background is also an indication of the appeal and attraction of both football and hurling.” said Dónal Moriarty, Product Leader of GAAGO, announcing that GAAGO, the GAA and RTÉ’s premium quality online streaming service for Gaelic Games outside of Ireland, is to support the 2014 North American Gaelic Games Finals.
“The North American County Board (NACB) Championships, hosted by Boston GAA, is a great fit for GAAGO. Both GAAGO and the NACB play a major role in the promotion and development of Gaelic Games across America and beyond. GAAGO provides fans of Gaelic Games with the opportunity to watch all televised games from the 2014 Championships online, as well as an opportunity to introduce our national games to an international audience who have never experienced top class Gaelic Games before. The rising popularity of Gaelic Games in America will be evident as the North American GAA community, Irish and non-Irish, will gather in Boston for a feast of Gaelic Games on the Labor Day Weekend”, added Dónal Moriarty.
The biggest Gaelic Games event to be held outside of Ireland, the North American Gaelic Games Finals, organised by the North American County Board, will see over 120 teams from as far afield as Seattle, Washington and the Cayman Islands, gather in Boston for the season’s climax. More than 2,500 GAA Players will be taking part in what promises to be a marathon festival of Irish sports, taking place at the Irish Cultural Centre in Boston on Labor Day weekend from the 29th to 31st August.
Welcoming GAAGO’s support for the 2014 North American Gaelic Games Finals, Boston Northeast Chairperson John Cunningham said: “We are delighted to have GAAGO on board to strengthen our efforts to stage a successful NACB Championships this year. GAAGO is a superb new service that is bringing the excitement and artistry of Gaelic Games to a wider global audience than ever before.”
“Our objective is to continue to grow and promote the games here in the United States, especially in terms of the recruitment and development of American-born players, and we envision that the availability of the GAAGO service will be hugely beneficial to those efforts in the years ahead. Not only will GAAGO’s involvement help immensely in raising the profile of this year's tournament, but their presence at Canton over the Labor Day weekend will add even more gravitas to an increasingly important and popular event on the international GAA calendar,” added Cunningham.
Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Liam Ó Néill said: "The North American Games are a hugely important event in the GAA calendar, representing as they do the single biggest competition for Gaelic Games outside the island of Ireland. The rich tradition of Gaelic Games in the United States is laid bare with this huge gathering of players and clubs, and it will be a privilege to witness the Championships unfolding firsthand. I would like to acknowledge the presence and support of GAAGO in Boston for the weekend as an important vehicle in helping us to bring our great games to the widest possible audience."
GAAGO is the new subscription-based online streaming service, offering live and on-demand GAA games to audiences outside of Ireland starting with the 2014 GAA Championships. Since its launch in May this year, the GAAGO service has been streamed by fans in over 120 countries worldwide, with the highest number of streams of GAAGO coming from North America.
For more visit www.gaago.ie or follow @GAAGO on Twitter.
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