Piaras Kelly PR - Public Relations in Ireland

Sports serve society by providing vivid examples of excellence - George F. Will

The Irish Times report (subscription required) on research published by the University of Ulster today which cliams that Gaelic games could be used to promote tourism in Ireland.

I was shocked to hear that Gaelic games have never been promoted seriously as part of our tourism strategy. Stranger still is the fact that tourism isn’t even mentioned in the GAA’s marketing plan. This despite the fact that both are unique sports and the huge Irish American audience.

For those unfamiliar with Gaelic games, the main two sports are Gaelic Football and Hurling. Gaelic Football is effectively a cross between Soccer and Rugby, the original version of Aussie Rules. Hurling is a fast-paced version of Lacrosse (really bad example, but the best I can come up with) - two teams of men with sticks whacking a leather ball about at nintey miles an hour!

Seriously though, if the GAA or the tourism board just put up a few video files of hurling on the Internet and did a viral marketing campaign, you’d have some people sit up and take notice. I’m not a huge fan of Gaelic games, but even I would admit that people would travel to watch them. There’s nothing quite like them out there. Best of all, they are amateur sports so they’re not played by prima donnas

If I ever get to be involved in promoting Ireland as a travel destination then Gaelic Football and Hurling are two things that I’d definitely include in my plan.