‘Gaelic Tag’ launched as trio look to go national

TWO Sligo brothers and a friend from Mayo are launching a Gaelic Tag summer league in Dublin this month and plan to bring the game to other urban centres around the country.

Jonathan and Brian Ruane from Enniscrone have got together with Alan Duggan from Knockmore to organise a league which will begin on July 30 and will be played every Thursday evening in Crumlin’s Iveagh Grounds.

Like Tag Rugby, it is a non-contact sport that can be played by people of all ages and both sexes.

Teams consist of seven players, three of whom must be female, and it is played across the width of a GAA pitch. The trio are launching the idea without any input from Croke Park but Jonathan Ruane believes the GAA, far from feeling threatened, should see it as an aid.

“We have had no contact at all (with the GAA). It is one of those things that we have been meaning to get around to.

“We were approached by a number of companies about sponsorship and that is another thing we have been meaning to do. We just want to make sure that the first league is a success. We would hope that the GAA would look at it quite positively but it is in no way a threat to them.”

Ruane pointed to the example of Tag Rugby which was invented in Australia 20 years ago and is now played in national schools to get youngsters interested in the sport.

“It takes the competitive edge and the boy/girl thing out of it because they can play mixed teams. There is no reason why Gaelic Tag couldn’t do the same for Gaelic football in the future.”

One league of eight teams was the aim for the first competition but ten teams have already signed up prompting the organisers to run a second. Up to 12 players can register for each team with an entry cost of €500.

The GAA would hardly look kindly on people making profits on the back of their games but Ruane laughs off the suggestion that they are on to a money-making idea.

“I sincerely doubt we are going to make big bucks on it but we do want to get it out to other towns. But none of us will be leaving our jobs.

“We are already looking at starting up an autumn or spring league and we would definitely be looking at getting it up and running in other places next summer.”

nFor more info: www.gaelictag.ie