Team and supporters from around Ireland will descend on West Kerry for the Gaelic games as two of the top Irish American Football teams will line up on the Corca Duibhne rugby grounds.

 

The Cork Admirals will take on the reigning Shamrock Bowl champions UL Vikings at 2pm on Saturday, February 27.

 

This is the second consecutive year that American football has been part of the Gaelic games. In 2009, an American football exhibition game was introduced to the event.

 

The Irish American Football League (IAFL) was founded in 1984 and consists of nine established teams and seven development teams from across the island of Ireland.  The league generally runs from March through August ending with two team competing for the Shamrock Bowl.

 

The Gaelic games will also feature the Tayto 2010 Comórtas Peile Páidi Ó Sé - senior club men’s and ladies Gaelic football tournament. The tournament will be held in West Kerry on February 26-28.

 

More than 1,000 people are expected to attend the tournament final on Sunday, February 29. This year eight high profile men’s clubs – including Páidí’s local club An Gaeltacht – have been invited to compete in the tournament which will take place in the pitches around the Dingle Peninsula.

 

“We are thrilled to have so many top class teams visiting the Dingle Peninsula for the football tournament,” said Paidi O Se.  “We hope all players will enjoy our West Kerry hospitality.”

 

“I’m also delighted that Tayto and EBS Building Society are supporting the Comórtas as I know they like to give something back to the communities that support their businesses.”

 

The weekend football festival has grown in popularity and in recent years has diversified it’s offering to include more Gaelic games and also aspects of Irish tradition and culture including music events, exhibitions, Hall of Fame Award for contribution to  Irish Life, a Media Award for contribution to development of Gaelic games and  much more.