Santiago O’Reilly
GAA Player and Coach
A life in Argentina
Santiago O’Reilly is an Irish-Argentine founding member and coach with the San Isidro Gaelico GAA team, which is part of the Cuenca del Plata League he formed in Argentina, focused on supporting and promoting Irish culture through sport. He regularly attends the GAA World Games with the club, and makes his own hurls.
Tell us about your connection to Ireland
"My great-great-grandparents came from Ballymahon, Longford in the 1800s - Thomas O’Reilly Coghlan and Bridget Whelan Casey. That was four generations ago. Since then their descendants married into Spanish, Italian, German, Swedish and French families - me included. In a word, we became Argentineans. I’ve always felt a strong connection to Ireland. As a boy I was continuously reading and looking for pictures in encyclopaedias. I learnt its songs and some poems, whenever I hear the sound of pipes, something moves inside me. However it was the Gaelic Games that took my heart."
Tell us about your connection to Ireland
"My great-great-grandparents came from Ballymahon, Longford in the 1800s - Thomas O’Reilly Coghlan and Bridget Whelan Casey. That was four generations ago. Since then their descendants married into Spanish, Italian, German, Swedish and French families - me included. In a word, we became Argentineans. I’ve always felt a strong connection to Ireland. As a boy I was continuously reading and looking for pictures in encyclopaedias. I learnt its songs and some poems, whenever I hear the sound of pipes, something moves inside me. However it was the Gaelic Games that took my heart."
How did you get into GAA?
"My parents were sports teachers, and very passionate about it. Sports have always been a major part of my life. I profoundly believe that sports are essential for us all. They create communities and help us to grow into better people. I think that the Gaelic Games are one of Ireland’s most important creations. In 2018, I was a founding member of a Club in San Isidro called San Isidro Gaelico. Its sole purpose is to provide a space to play the Gaelic Games for our families, friends and whoever wants to play. In these eight years, I’ve met many people, shared the pitch with old friends and made many new ones. I like hurling so much that I started making hurleys at my home."
What is the GAA scene like in Argentina?
"The club has grown and some new teams appeared. We formed a small league called Cuenca del Plata (River Plate Basin), in honour of the major river that flows close to us all. We have our own cups and tournaments. In 2024, we got a team from Chile and one from Paraguay in our traditional Admiral Brown Cup. This was most fun, especially sharing a very good asado (Argentine barbecue) after. It is not the winning that drive us, it’s about the community and the values that sports can provide."
What is the GAA scene like in Argentina?
"The club has grown and some new teams appeared. We formed a small league called Cuenca del Plata (River Plate Basin), in honour of the major river that flows close to us all. We have our own cups and tournaments. In 2024, we got a team from Chile and one from Paraguay in our traditional Admiral Brown Cup. This was most fun, especially sharing a very good asado (Argentine barbecue) after. It is not the winning that drive us, it’s about the community and the values that sports can provide."
What impact has GAA had on your life in Argentina?
"Most important is the impact that Gaelic Games has in my family. Every Sunday we all get up early, close to 8am. The five of us train together with other families with small kids - I am the Coach. After an hour of drills and skills training, we play a match.
Mothers and fathers share the pitch with their sons regardless of age. The older kids are taught to respect the little ones and allow them to play. After that, we have something to drink and eat under a tree, our meeting tree. This is probably the most important fruit of the club. As I said before, I’m Argentinean, but it seems that a little bit of my great-great grandparents got stuck in my soul."
