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While being better known for its thoroughbred horse racing and more recently the Desert Classic Golf, Dubai has now established itself as an oasis in the desert for our own Gaelic Games. The history of Gaelic Games in the Middle East dates back to St. Patricks Day 1994 in Riyadh when a hurling match was played between employees of SA Kent and Aramco. S.A. Kent emerged as winners. By October 94 clubs had been formed in Dhahran and Riyadh, great rivals to this day, and the first inter-club hurling match took place in Bahrain later that same year. This provided the impetus for the staging of a Gulf-wide tournament in Bahrain in October / November of each year. It would another twelve months before the Dubai Celts would first take to the field (see Bahrain Tournament 1995/96 Season). Great credit must go those early pioneers, most of whom are still actively involved, for what the games have evolved into today. They include Charlie OSullivan (Cork City), Dermot Wallis (England Laois), Ger McGrath (Shanagarry, Co Cork), Paul Beecher (Fermoy Co. Cork), Johnny Rae (Fermoy Co. Cork) and PJ Kiwrin (Longford). Later that year the first Gulf tournament involving clubs from Dubai, Riyadh and Dhahran, was staged in Bahrain. Soon after Paul Beecher left Saudi Arabia for Dubai and joined Paul McCabe (Meath) in establishing the Dubai Celts. Similarly Johnny Rea and PJ Kiwrin left for Abu Dhabi and went onto establish the Abu Dhabi Fianna.

 

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