TWO CLARE TEAMS FOR 30th ANNIVERSARY PÁIDÍ FOOTBALL FESTIVAL

Clare will be well represented at the 30th anniversary of the Lidl Comórtas Peile Páidi Ó Sé 2019, with 44 adult men’s and ladies club teams descending on the rugged Dingle Peninsula from 15th to 17th February.

Newcomers Éire Óg Inis will have some stiff opposition in the Dermot Earley senior men’s cup with Westmeath’s Rosemount back to defend their 2018 title against local sides An Daingean, Milltown Castlemaine and An Ghaeltacht while other newcomers Laois’s Portarlington and Cork’s Ballydesmond will be attempting to leave their mark on this historic year. Also competing at senior level is other Cork side Knocknagree, who won the Comórtas intermediate final two years ago, setting them on their winning ways to All-Ireland Intermediate Club final victory in Croke Park later that season.

Lisdoonvarna’s St. Breckan’s will compete in the six team jumior men’s cup against Kerry side’s Cromane and Renard GAA Kerry, Fenagh of Carlow, Dubai Celts, United Arab Emirates and Limerick’s Mungret St. Paul’s GAA, Monateen.

The football festival, which is supported by Lidl Ireland, EJ Menswear.com, Kerry County Council Tourism Unit and Lee Strand Milk, was officially launched at an event last week by former Kerry great Kieran Donaghy and Dublin ladies star and holder of three senior All-Irelands Lyndsey Davey, and which was also attended by Kerry Ladies nine-in-a-row legend Eileen Lawlor, Listowel’s Billy Keane, Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh, former Kildare footballer Dermot Earley and many more.

The festival, founded by Kerry iconic footballer Páidi Ó Sé, has attracted over 15,000 club players over 30 years and has grown into a major international GAA event with senior, intermediate and junior competitions as well as teams attending cultural and social events at Comórtas HQ, Páidí Ó Sé’s pub in Ventry, Co. Kerry.

The football festival will also host nightly free music and entertainment which is open to the general public and a Saturday Night Players Banquet at the Comórtas marquee at Páidi Ó Sé’s pub in Ard a' Bhóthair, Ventry

Comórtas Chairman Pádraig Óg. Ó Sé said, ‘We are delighted with the response to our 30th anniversary Comórtas with 17 counties represented, the largest amount in our history. We thank our UK GAA friends with five traveling teams and indeed Dubai Celts who are making the longest journey of all. The support of local host clubs is crucial in ensuring we can maintain such a high number of teams and we thank them for their co-operation. Local partners Lee Strand Milk and Kerry County Council Tourism Unit are backing us also to continue with the Comórtas, which has become a big benefit in terms of local tourism. We are also delighted that EJMenswear.com of Sligo, who are related to the Ó Sé family as well as Lidl Ireland are back to help make this event happen.

Michael Collins, Regional manager, Lidl Ireland said” "We are delighted to continue our partnership with this year’s Comortas Peile Paidi O Se. Our store teams in Dingle and Tralee are proud to support the Comórtas Peile Páidi Ó Sé and we are all looking forward to the festival of Gaelic Football ahead."

For a programme of events and a full list of teams visit www.Paidiose.com

Twitter: @PIOs85 Hashtag: #Comortas2019

Pictured below: Dónal Ó hAiniféin, Liam Corry (Eire Og Ennis) and Padraig Og O’Se at the launch of the Lidl Comórtas Peile Páidi Ó Sé 2019 GAA Football Festival in the Ballsbridge Hotel on Tuesday January 15th. .