Prior to the clash of the Atlanta Hawks and Boston Celtics in Philips Arena on Saturday November 23rd, the club provided a demonstration of Gaelic Football skills for spectators attending the game. Club members performed kicking, hand passing and tackling drills on court right before tip off.
This event, co-ordinated by the Irish Consulate General in Atlanta Mr Paul Gleeson in conjunction with our Fundraising Officer Paul Bradley, provided the biggest showcase for the club in its 17 year history.
Everyone involved thoroughly enjoyed the experience especially the kids who got step foot on court to support their parents. We were very excited to be part of the Atlanta Hawks Irish Heritage Night which has garnered great interest in our community in both Atlanta and Ireland. To the best of our knowledge this event represented the first collaboration between a GAA club and an NBA franchise in the United States. As a result, this event drew significant interest in Ireland including an article in the Irish Examiner, a national newspaper in Ireland and a feature in a well known sports publishing website in Ireland.
Thanks again to the Atlanta Hawks for what was a very enjoyable experience for all concerned. More photos from the event can be found here with the video of us in action below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_ugKH7TmQE