Multiculturalism is flourishing in the GAA, as players from around the world make their mark - and fight for acceptance - on Irish playing fields. Fiachra Ó Cionnaith reports.
'When I grow up, I want to play in an All-Ireland final." It's a common claim in Irish households at this time of year, as children throughout the country dream of someday competing on the biggest stage of Irish sport. It's only when you hear the speaker's name that it gives rise to any sort of reaction.
Napoln Chongprasertporn been an avid Tipperary supporter since he first arrived in Ireland last summer. Having grown up in Bangkok, the 12-year-old Thai boy came to this county with his Irish guardian and was soon introduced to hurling. Quiet, but determined to adjust to his new culture and surroundings, Napoln tried out Gaelic games at a GAA summer camp before joining local club Emly's under-12s hurling team.
"When I went to the summer camp I had fun, and then I was playing with my friends in the school. What I like about playing is that it's unique and takes skill. It was hard at first and I didn't know the kicking and soloing, but I'm now playing for a club. When I'm older I want to play in All-Irelands."
Napoln is an example of the changing face of the GAA. Of the estimated 182,000 footballers, 97,000 hurlers and 50,000 camogie players in Ireland, there is a growing number of people from such diverse places as Thailand, Romania, Australia and Somalia taking up the traditionally Irish games. An organisation originally formed to promote Irish culture is playing an active role in establishing a more inclusive national identity.
Conor and Fergal McNamara have been waiting for this breakthrough for the past 14 years. Despite speaking fluent Irish and living in Tipperary town since they were adopted at the age of one, it was only when the Romanian-born twins' football and hurling prowess became apparent that they felt fully accepted as Irish. "I have experienced racism a lot, but most of it is just stupidity and children being young," says Conor, who plays corner back in football and wing forward in hurling. "But the sport has really opened the door for me as a person, not to be conscious of my colour or where I was born, to say I'm from Tipperary town and I'm Irish."
Since joining Aribel Rovers six years ago, the brothers have forged a reputation as future stars of Tipperary GAA. Both have represented their county, and their success at club level, which includes Munster championship and county minor A titles, has led many to foresee a glittering future for them in Gaelic games.
But while success has opened doors for the twins, it has brought with it problems from people outside the club. When the McNamaras played for Aribel Rovers against Aherlow in a tightly contested underage final last month, racism reared its ugly head.
"There was an experience a few weeks ago in the Tipperary West under-16s final when an Aherlow supporter/trainer made a comment that our team didn't have enough players, so had to get black players to play for them. We got a lot of support from our own club, but the other team's supporters weren't that sympathetic. They were as malicious in a sense because when my mam asked why he said that, she just got told that we'd won the match, so what more did we want."
Aherlow's club board immediately apologised for the unseemly comments. Far from putting the brothers off their chosen sports, it's an issue that Conor's brother Fergal, a lightning-fast wing back, says can only be addressed through more diversity in the players who progress to the games' highest level. "What we have to show is that, while we hold our Irishness close to our hearts, we're still a modern, moving country. It's about being used to people with other backgrounds playing GAA."
Eoin O'Donnellan, manager of Salthill-Knocknacarra's senior Gaelic football team, is proud of the progress his team have made in the Galway championship - they are currently in the semi-finals - and is equally pleased that the side's new player - Paul Kennedy from Melbourne - has been fully integrated.
"Coming from Australia, when he first started playing it was probably a bit of a novelty really, but with his ability, the guys were more impressed with each training session. They respect him as a player and he's an integral part of the squad now. The only thing they have to get used to is his accent." Since the International Rules series was revived, Australians playing GAA has become a much more common sight.
"I've been lucky in that Australians and Irish aren't that different," says Kennedy. "In Melbourne, where I'm from, about a third of the population was born in another country, so you get used to coming across people from other backgrounds. And that's not something you can do without hiccoughs; it takes time. But once you get used to people from another background, you begin to respect them and realise that we're all pretty much the same."
Having played semi-professional Aussie Rules for Sandringham and Stirk in the Australian state leagues, the 25-year-old was keen to try out the Irish equivalent of the game. "When I'd call for the ball the first time in a match, people would be kind of looking across and a few of the teammates have said that their marker has commented, 'where's he from?' But it has been a good reaction because people I meet on the building site want to know if I'm that Aussie guy from Salthill."
"Over here there is still a mentality that it can't mean as much if you're not from the parish, but since the start of February I've been out training three nights a week with those guys. We've had some pretty tough wins together and some pretty tough losses, so you just want to win for the group of guys who've worked so hard for it. Winning means just as much to me as anyone else."
With the team now at the semi-final stage of this year's Galway championship, there is a real chance that their campaign could end in success.
Kathryn Kantounia (15), whose father's family is from Athens, is the star forward for Dublin camogie minors and St Vincent's. Fast, skilful and with an unnerving accuracy in front of goal, she has been an integral part of a club side that has won every honour open to it over the past three years. As Irish as the next person, Kantounia is the holder of an All-Ireland Féile under-14s winner's medal. Like most other children in the country, Kantounia started playing camogie after taking part in the junior mini-leagues at her local club. She saw it as being as much a part of her culture as anyone else's.
She says, however, that until more people such as fellow Dubliner Jason Sherlock make the breakthrough to inter-county and championship level, only a certain amount of progress can be made. "If you get into the sport and you like it, you should just stay in it no matter what. I'd love to see myself playing for Dublin seniors in the future."
The changing attitudes at grassroots level are an encouraging sign of things to come. Last year, Dublin Bus organised a multi-ethnic Gaelic football match for its workers, with people from 48 nationalities taking part. Although it was originally a charity event - all proceeds went to the children's hospital in Crumlin - the level of attention it attracted led to GAA president Seán Kelly expressing an interest in holding future matches at Croke Park. This year's event is due to take place in the days before the All-Ireland senior football final. "The reaction was mainly, 'why did it not happen before' " says CIE sports and social officer Kevin Fitzpatrick, who helped organise the event.
Although carrying a knee injury, Somalian goalkeeper Mohamed Abu Bhakar was man of the match from last year's game. After leaving his war-torn country in the late 1990s, the 35-year-old came to Ireland to start a new life. He enjoys the sport and feels that events such as this are an important part of opening the Irish culture up to people arriving in the country.
"I enjoyed the match and it's very interestingto watch, but the main thing is that it brings people into the community. Standing and playing with people from different backgrounds makes everything friendlier, because you can get to know others that way. When I came in 1996, for the first three months I was very afraid. But walking around now, Irish people are really friendly. It's very interesting to see Ireland grow as a multicultural place."
After seeing the success of the first match, many more players have joined this year. Emmanuel Ibipola, an accomplished lawn tennis player while studying at the University of Lagos, was keen to take part in this year's event.
"At first it was strange to me because I'd never seen the sport before. But after I spoke with my Irish friends, I became interested in playing. The skills I learnt in tennis came in useful, but the most interesting thing for me about Gaelic is that it's new. It's an Irish thing and I'm part of the community now, so I take a lot from it."