43 The Canadian County Board of the GAA / The New York and North American County Boards of the GAA

In recognition of the Canadian County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association contribution to sport in Canada.

Canada‘s embrace of Gaelic games has provided wonderful memories for those of the Irish-Canadian community and has created an opportunity for all to discover an exciting facet of Ireland‘s culture.
The history of Gaelic games in Canada, before the founding of the Gaelic Athletic Association in Ireland in 1884 and in the years since, proves a determination by Irish immigrants who have arrived in
numerous provinces of Canada. Through their dedication the flag of Irish sports has flown strong, and will continue to fly in the years to come.
The sporting traditions include the oldest European field game of hurling-a masterful art and the fastest game in the world-in which players use an ash wood stick and a hard ball. Many argue with some
conviction, and no small amount of fact to support their case, that Canada‘s national sport, ice hockey, has its origins in hurling. The word puck is derived from the Irish word poc, which is the action of striking the ball with a hurley.
In 1845, the civic fathers of Quebec City banned the playing of hurling in their narrow streets, while in St. John’s, Newfoundland, hurling was being played as early as 1788 at the “Barrens” of the city. The ladies’ version of hurling, Camogie, has had its presence on occasion in some Canadian communities. The skilful play of Gaelic Football, which has dominated the sporting scene across the country in many Canadian cities, continues to be the greatest strength in modern times.
The name of the Gaelic Athletic Association, as it applies to Canada, is the Canadian County Board, Incorporated (CCB). The basic aim of the CCB is to preserve and promote Gaelic Games and pastimes in Canada.
The founding of the CCB took place on Sunday, November 15th 1987. The meeting was chaired by GAA President Dr. Mick Loftus of Crossmolina, County Mayo. Among those in attendance were Toronto‘s Cormac O’Muiri, Ottawa‘s Pat Kelly, Montreal‘s Paul Moran and Paddy Dunne (R.I.P.).
The first elections of officers were Toronto‘s Paul Kennedy as Chairman, Vancouver‘s John O’Flynn as Secretary and Ottawa‘s Michael Connolly as Treasurer.
Others who have served on the County Board since its foundation include Diarmuid O’Connor, Noelle Russell, Sean Harte, Matthew Healy, Fionnuala McGovern, Pat Donnelly and Billy Millar.
Over twenty years later, the County Board consists of President Brian Farmer (Toronto), Vice-President Jarlath Connaughton (Ottawa), Treasurer Eddie Mangan (Toronto) and Secretary John O’Flynn (Vancouver) with over 500 registered players from four Provinces within Canada – British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec.
The CCB is a democratic organization comprised of the following units: Affiliated Clubs, Divisional Boards of Toronto and Western Canada, and the County Committee.
In ten cities across Canada are 14 affiliated clubs with the majority having both mens and ladies teams. A few clubs have flourishing minor programmes. British Columbia‘s – Vancouver Harps, Alberta‘s Calgary
Chieftains, Red Deer Eire Ogs, Edmonton Wolfe Tones, Ontario’s Toronto’s St. Mikes, St. Pats (Mens), St. Vincents (Mens), Toronto Gaels (Mens), Durham – Robert Emmets, Brampton Roger Casements, Michael Cusacks (Ladies), Ottawa Gaels and Quebec’s Montreal Shamrocks and Les Patriotes de Quebec of Quebec City