Twenty fishermen from Ghana have received their first taste of gaelic football, thanks to a training session at a Co Down GAA club.

Players and officials from Ardglass GAC put the fishermen through their paces on Saturday.

The men, who are aged in the twenties and thirties, have been living and working in the Co Down town for the past year, but it is the first time they have taken to the pitch.

Ruth Curran, club secretary and well-being officer, last night said it was a great way of integrating the men into the community as well as introducing them to the sport.

"The boys arrived in Ardglass just over a year ago and have been fishing and living on their boats since then," she said.

"A local social worker contacted me and said that there are around 30 of them using the one shower and one washing machine.

"So we offered the use of our changing rooms where there are 16 showers that could be used, but that obviously is on hold due to Covid.

"Then we were involved in a Covid response in the local community, which organised food for them.

"Also 'I Assist NI', which is a befriending service for ethnic minorities, has come on board and we got together two weeks ago down at the harbour and the guys brought some African food, which was fantastic.


"Then on Saturday we had them at the club where there was more African food and music and the boys learnt some basic Gaelic football skills.

"They had a bit of a kick about and a training session, it was a fantastic afternoon and they all absolutely loved it.

"We hope that we can get them down again and the senior players are going to come down too.

"It was good craic and they all really seemed to enjoy it."


Gaelic football, commonly referred to as football or Gaelic, is an Irish team sport. It is played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch.

It is played with a round football which can be caught, kicked and hand passed. Equipment. The ball used in Gaelic Football is round, slightly smaller than a soccer ball.