Each year sees an increase in European teams and the Euro League gives teams an opportunity to play or the first time in a friendly and sociable environment.
Madrid participated for the first time in 2004.
The Euro League was sponsored by KerryGold this year and was won by Munich (Men�s Football). Hurling and Camogie were played but not competitively. With over 20 clubs across Europe, from Finnish hurlers in the frozen north to Costa del Sol footballers in the sizzling south, European GAA is developing strongly, as Irish emigrants spread the games and enthusiastic locals take to the sports rapidly.
Such number saw the birth in 2002 of the Euro League, an inter-club competition played in several clubs between March and October.
2004 saw Munich crowned as overall champions after 8 rounds played, in Rennes, Paris, Guernsey, Luxembourg, Munich, Amsterdam, Barcelona and The Hague. Each round uses a group-based round-robin format, ensuring that all teams involved get a fair number of games, and that the best teams progress to the knockout stages. The year?s overall winner is determined on the basis of points awarded for the position achieved in each tournament throughout the year.
September 2004 saw the Harps make their much-anticipated debut on the European scene at the Barcelona Gaels tournament. Unfortunately we were unable to field a full team on the day, missed busses and weddings playing their part, and so the 6 members that did make it joined forces with the B. Gaels? second squad, to form the ?B Specials?, as the names Madrid / Barcelona / Spain / Catalonia were to prove somewhat controversial?
Results did not match performances, and the wooden spoon came our way, but experience was gained and the appetite whetted ? rest assured, the Harps will be back in 2005!!
