Parnell Park in Dublin welcomes top U.S. high school American football teams from Arizona and California for Global Ireland Football Tournament
Former All-Ireland Gaelic football star Brian Mullins to serve as GIFT Honorary Chairman
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Thursday, February 23, 2012 – GRANBURY, TX – The Global Ireland Football Tournament 2012 has confirmed that GAA venue Parnell Park will host two American football games featuring top high school teams from the United States playing in Ireland this summer.
Hot on the heels of announcing Pairc Tailteann as a GIFT 2012 venue, organizer Global Football has secured the 11,500-capacity GAA stadium in Donnycarney on Dublin’s northside for games on Friday, August 31.
Hamilton High School from Chandler, Arizona, which reached the Division 1 State Championship Game for the fourth year in a row in 2011, will face Notre Dame High School from Sherman Oaks, California, at 7.30pm. Two more traveling teams, who will open the two-game festival of American football at Parnell Park at 4pm, will be announced soon at www.GIFT2012.com.
Brian Mullins, the noted Gaelic Footballer who played with St Vincent’s and the Dublin Senior Team and is now the Director of Sport at University College Dublin, will serve as Honorary Chairman for the games at Parnell Park. All 12 participating GIFT teams will hold training sessions that will be open to the public and media at UCD on Thursday, August 30, the day before they kick off their new season in Ireland.
“Through my role at UCD and having played football and hurling at Parnell Park over the years, I am really excited and enthusiastic about this event,” said Mullins, who holds four All-Ireland medals. “I want to congratulate everyone associated with these games for their hard work in making this happen.
“I encourage all Irish sports fans to come along and sample a different code of football at a traditional Gaelic sports venue and enjoy what will be a great evening of entertainment. It is an honor to be asked to serve as a GIFT Honorary Chairman, and as Director of Sport at UCD, I am eager to welcome the American football teams to our campus for their training.”
Dublin GAA Chief Executive John Costello said: “The Dublin GAA Board are delighted to host these games in Parnell Park. We can guarantee that those who travel to Ireland to either play or attend this event will have a memorable experience.
“Dublin is a great sporting city and it is also a unique opportunity for our residents to experience American Football in Parnell Park.”
The ‘double-header’ in Dublin is one of three American football showcases that day featuring a total of 12 teams from Arizona, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin being staged at Parnell Park, Páirc Tailteann in Navan, and at a third venue still to be announced. The games will be played on the eve of the Emerald Isle Classic at the AVIVA Stadium between Notre Dame and Navy.
“From the start of planning this classic American football event for Ireland I have worked hard to have these showcase games played in various historical stadiums across the Dublin area, so fans of different areas of the city could come and enjoy the competition,” said Global Football President Patrick Steenberge.
“Parnell Park, the longtime home of the Dublin GAA, is ideally situated on the northside of Dublin. It allows easy access for all the sports fans in that part of the city, as well as being a very short distance from the city center for the American fans there for the Navy vs. Notre Dame game the next day. Our teams will be able to play on hallowed ground where so many Irish greats of Gaelic Football and Hurling have competed.”
Tickets for all GIFT 2012 events, which each offer six hours worth of top-quality American football action, will go on sale on March 1 at the three host venues priced 15 Euros for adults and 10 Euros for students, with free admission for children aged 12 and under.
“The Irish American Football Association are delighted with the professionalism of Global Football and Mr. Steenberge,” said IAFA President Greg Loughran, whose organization governs the sport in Ireland.
“The GIFT 2012 event will give the visiting players and coaches a taste of Ireland and it’s sporting heritage that is not normally possible to experience. The fans of American Football and even the casual spectators who attend these games will be very impressed with the intensity and excitement of the little piece of history that they have witnessed.”
The teams:
Notre Dame High School football has been one of the most consistently successful programs in the state of California since 1993, and during that time has won 14 League Championships, four CIF Championships and has been CIF runner-up three times.
Hamilton High School is one of the top football programs in Arizona and won three consecutive state titles from 2008 to 2010 and also reached the state championship game in 2011. The Huskies also won in 2006 and claimed the Fiesta Region Championship in 11 of the past 12 years and 10 straight since 2002.
Media may download action photos of Notre Dame High School for media use only and the new GIFT 2012 event logo, here.
Photo captions:
0608 – Notre Dame catch
4572 – Notre Dame rush through the defense
4755 – Notre Dame running back
4853 – Notre Dame blocks a field goal attempt
4976 – Notre Dame defense on top
5259 & 5435 – Notre Dame prepares to pass
5688 – Notre Dame field goal
9551 – Notre Dame high school enters the field
0743 – Making progress on the ground
12 – Cheers to our fans
Please credit Notre Dame High School with photo use.
About Parnell Park: A Gaelic Athletic Association venue in Donnycarney in the northside suburbs of Dublin, the venue has a capacity of 11,500 and is nicknamed The Nell. The ground hosts the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, Railway Cup Dublin Cup Championships and is used by Dublin’s inter-county teams and as a training ground for major games being played at Croke Park.
About University College Dublin (UCD): One of Europe’s leading research-intensive universities where undergraduate education, postgraduate masters and PhD training, research, innovation and community engagement form a dynamic continuum of activity.
The university was established in 1854 by John Henry Newman whose classic work ‘The Idea of a University’ is one of the most enduring texts on the value of higher education and a source of inspiration for UCD’s current educational philosophy.
Today UCD is Ireland’s largest university with almost 25,000 students. It is the most popular destination for Irish school-leavers and actively promotes university life as a journey of academic and personal discovery through its highly innovative and flexible UCD Horizons undergraduate curriculum.
The University¹s Elite Athlete Academy and Sports Scholarship Program has established UCD as the preferred choice for athletes who wish to compete and succeed at the highest sporting levels while simultaneously attaining a degree at UCD. The programme supports high calibre athletes striving for sporting and academic success to allow them to reach their maximum potential inside and outside the classroom.
About Global Football: Under the guidance of President Patrick Steenberge, a former Notre Dame quarterback and high school All-American at Erie Cathedral Prep, Global Football has produced football games in 19 nations during the past 16 years. Working partners include USA Football, NFL, Super Bowl Host Committees, American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), Notre Dame, Penn State, Pop Warner, Tanzania Sports Council and dozens of NCAA Division III colleges as well as National Football Federations worldwide. www.globalfootball.com
About the Irish American Football Association (IAFA): The National Governing Body for American Football in Ireland is recognised by the Irish Sports Council and the Federation of Irish Sports. It is affiliated to the European Federation of American Football (EFAF) and the International Federation of American Football (IFAF). The Irish American Football League (IAFL) plays adult, full contact American football U.S. college football rules and has also established an 8v8 league to allow new teams to progress.
About Anthony Travel: The leader in university and sports travel management, playing a critical role in the success of the Emerald Isle Classic and Global Ireland Football Tournament. Providing over 10,000 guests with comprehensive travel solutions to Ireland, Anthony Travel is sure to deliver an unforgettable experience.
For information about the Global Ireland Football Tournament 2012 please visit www.GIFT2012.com or email Patrick@GlobalFootball.com. All team and fan travel for GIFT is being expertly handled by Anthony Travel, which also manages all team and fan travel for the Notre Dame and Navy. Contact Sheldon Baxter for details, or visit www.anthonytravel.com/globalfootball/gift.