San Francisco GAA vs. The World
Gaelic games are paused on Treasure Island while some of the Bay Area's finest Gaelic footballers and hurlers travel to Ireland to represent their clubs and community at the largest GAA World Games ever.
From July 13th to the 17th, more than 2,000 players, coaches, and support staff representing 114 teams from Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Australasia will gather in Waterford, Ireland, for the 2026 GAA World Games.
Éire Óg vs Young Irelanders at Páirc na nGael on Treasure Island; May 4, 2025
Held every three years, the World Games celebrate the growth of Gaelic games beyond Ireland. What began as a way to connect overseas clubs has become an international festival of sport and culture, reflecting a global Gaelic sports community that now numbers more than 500 clubs outside Ireland.
"This year's gathering in Waterford will be the biggest and best yet," said GAA President Jarlath Burns at the tournament launch, noting that Gaelic games are now played "in virtually every corner of the globe."
The San Francisco GAA (USGAA Western Division) will be among the best-represented overseas associations, with four clubs:
Pearse Óg | Hurling
For the players who make the journey, the World Games are more than an international competition. They're about an opportunity to represent their club, the Western Division, the community that shaped them, and joining a global family connected through Gaelic sport.
Representing a Community
The opportunity to compete in Ireland is the culmination of years of training with teammates, coaches, and family members who introduced them to Gaelic games and helped build one of North America's strongest Gaelic communities.
"It's an honor to be able to represent my city and my club," said Éire Óg fullback Parker O'Regan. "After growing up playing Gaelic football in San Francisco and with Éire Óg, it's a great privilege to be able to represent both back in Ireland."
Fog City Harps fullback Madison Gaines echoed that pride.
"Representing Fog City and the San Francisco GAA at the World Games is a huge honor. It's something our team has worked hard for, and I'm really proud to wear our colors on an international stage."
“It feels like a full-circle moment—from having my dad as my first coach in San Francisco to traveling to Ireland to play on a global stage.”
For Joseph Mary Plunketts full forward Liam Merrigan, the honor belongs to everyone who helped build the club.
"Our club has an awesome community behind it, and so many people put in time and effort to grow hurling here. Being able to represent all of that on an international stage is something I'm really proud of."
Pearse Óg halfback Cian Hennessey looked even further back, crediting generations of parents, coaches, and volunteers who established one of the strongest youth Gaelic games programs in North America.
"We only get to be here because there have been many parents and coaches before us that have donated their time and energy to ensure we have the best youth hurling and Gaelic program in the country."
Pearse Óg vs Joseph Mary Plunketts at Páirc na nGael on Treasure Island; May 31, 2026
For Pearse Óg fullback Padraig Lyons, that legacy is personal.
"It's an incredible opportunity to represent Pearse Óg at the World Games. It feels like a full-circle moment, from having my dad, Con Lyons, as my first coach in San Francisco to traveling to Ireland to play on a global stage in the game that defined so much of my siblings' and my life growing up."
Together, their stories capture what makes the USGAA Western Division's presence at the World Games meaningful. These athletes represent decades of volunteerism, coaching, family traditions, and a belief that Gaelic games can flourish thousands of miles from Ireland.
More Than a Tournament
The World Games celebrate more than competition. They bring together players from around the world who share a common passion for sports born in Ireland but nurtured by communities across the globe.
Joseph Mary Plunketts center back Dara Keane is looking forward to reconnecting with family while meeting players from every corner of the world.
"It will be fun to meet people from all over the world, and the locals as well. I'm looking forward to meeting up with family and friends I haven't seen in a while."
“We’ve put in so much work together, and now we get to share this incredible experience both on and off the field.”
Éire Óg full forward Colin O'Donoghue is equally excited to witness how far Gaelic games have spread.
"I'm looking forward to traveling around Ireland after the games with the team, as well as seeing the growth of the games across a lot of other countries."
For Fog City’s Gaines, the experience extends beyond the pitch.
"We've put in so much work together, and now we get to share this incredible experience both on and off the field. I'm looking forward to exploring Ireland, experiencing the culture, and making memories with my teammates that we'll be talking about for years to come."
Fog City Harps vs Clan na Gael at Páirc na nGael on Treasure Island; June 14, 2026
O'Regan, from Eire Og, is especially looking forward to being in Ireland for the All-Ireland football and hurling finals.
Pearse Og’s Lyons is excited for something many American players rarely experience.
"It's a great opportunity to play in front of family and friends who never had the chance to see most of us play, especially with how far we are from Ireland. Hopefully we'll make our family, San Francisco, and California proud."
For every player, the World Games represent something bigger than a tournament schedule. It’s an opportunity to celebrate the global community that unites Gaelic sports.
From Treasure Island to the World Stage
Most weekends from April through August, players gather at Páirc na nGael. Some grew up playing Gaelic sports. Others had never seen the sports before joining a San Francisco club. They picked up a hurley or kicked a football for the first time at Páirc na nGael.
“It’s an honor to be able to represent my city and my club.”
What unites them is a community that welcomes newcomers while preserving traditions that stretch back centuries.
The GAA World Games celebrate that spirit. For one week in July, it stretches from Treasure Island to Waterford where four San Francisco clubs will stand shoulder to shoulder with teams from around the world to represent one of the strongest Gaelic athletic communities outside Ireland.
When Championship Cup play resumes at Páirc na nGael on Saturday, July 18th, these players will return with more than memories of matches played in Ireland, they’ll return with new friendships, new stories, and the experience of representing Northern California on one of the biggest international stages the GAA has to offer.
Win or lose, these experiences will become another chapter in the story of the San Francisco GAA.
