Gaelic Games in the capital of Europe: Brussels’ Craobh Rua GAA
In the political capital of Europe, Brussels, Craobh Rua GAA club has been uniting some of the many expats from all over the globe. Since their beginnings in 2003, they have become one of the biggest GAA clubs in the EU with over 100 members playing hurling, camogie, and men’s and women’s Gaelic football.
International interest
Being such an international city and host of over 200,000 expats, Brussels has become home to people from a variety of cultures and backgrounds who are interested in finding community through the club.
Our members have different backgrounds, some work in the EU bubble and others are engineers, and we’re a mixture of Irish and non-Irish. The thing we have in common is a love of sport and Irish culture
Brussels Craobh Rua makes a point of being welcoming to everyone, no matter their experience or knowledge of the sports. Their camogie team alone has people of 10 different nationalities who were interested in exploring a new hobby or learning about Irish culture.
“People come from all over the world and somehow end up playing and loving this great sport, sometimes without any prior knowledge of the game. So, the team is very welcoming. It’s also a great way to discover Europe, as we travel to different cities for tournaments,” says Soline Whooley, a camogie player with the club.
Players voiced their appreciation for the strong sense of community and invaluable opportunities to socialise and connect with people both on and off the pitch. It is also a chance to explore the entire continent with travel for tournaments is bringing people all over Europe.
The beauty of the club is that so many backgrounds come together, it’s a veritable melting pot! As most of us are expats, the club becomes a second family. We obviously train and compete together, but we will still hang out together even when the season is over
The club provides a real sense of identity when living abroad for the many international players, who found their way to the club within days, months or even years of moving to the city.
Brussels Craobh Rua consider themselves to be different from Irish clubs as they are united by a love for the sport alone without the influence of loyalty to your hometown or local community, as would be case back in Ireland.
They boast a mix of players from all over Ireland and beyond, and offer a unique way to meet new people and pick up new traditions.
Strength to strength
Needless to say, Brussels Craobh Rua is a giant, not only in numbers but in the slew of accolades they have achieved since their establishment. All of their teams have reached significant success in European championships with 34 championship wins under their belt in a little over 20 years. Their most successful teams are the women’s football and camogie teams, who hold an impressive 23 of these wins.
Overall the teams have won
8
European Hurling Championships
3
Men's Football Championships
10
European Camogie Championships
13
Women's Football Championships
Get involved
The team are always looking to welcome new members, particularly those who are already settled in Brussels, whether you’ve played before or you’re entirely new to the games. Brussels Craobh Rua are eager to introduce newcomers to the community they have built on the love of Irish culture and sport.
For more information, reach out on social media on X @BelgiumGAA or on their website. They train in the evening on Mondays and Thursdays during the season on the Vrije Universiteit Brussel campus.
For any queries, or if you’re interested in embarking on a new adventure in the city, send an email to Brussels Craobh Rua: pro.belgium.europe@gaa.ie.