Does the Central Statistics Office maintain a record of how many plans are disrupted each year due to the scheduling of the GAA? If they don’t, they certainly should. The almost year-long activity across county and club seasons often makes travel a secondary concern. Numerous planned journeys have been sabotaged when a team unexpectedly advances further in the championship.
What happens if Gaelic games are both your source of income and your pastime? Is it necessary to spend the rest of your life in Ireland, only seeing the broader world when there are openings in the official fixtures calendar?
In this sense, Cian O’Dea of Clare is unconventional. He is among a growing number of people employed by the GAA to develop and expand our national sports; yet he works in New York, which is unusual.
Wonder how Cian O’Dea of Clare juggles between travel and GAA commitments?
Devastating losses have tipped the balance on Inish Turbot, from heartrending defeats in sports to far greater personal tragedies. And it seems managers always find new rules to complain about – but they may have a valid point this time around with Rory Gallagher not returning as manager for Derry.
As part of Colm Collins’s team during his tenure in Clare, O’Dea played a role in their significant progress. From his first senior outing against Cork in 2015 to his final match for the Banner against Donegal in the All-Ireland group stages in 2023, Clare accomplished a Division Three league win in 2016 and made it to the All-Ireland quarter-finals that same year. In 2022, they were once again in an All-Ireland quarter-final and a Munster final the year after.
“The high point was definitely winning the Division Three league and having the honour of hoisting the cup in the Hogan Stand alongside my brother,” the 28-year-old recalls from his time in Clare. “I absolutely loved the league. Despite being in Division Two and playing some of the best teams, we narrowly missed being promoted to Division One.” Clare’s attempt to reach the top rank was unsuccessful and they were demoted to Division Three in 2023. “It was discouraging that we couldn’t make more progress, given our skill and confidence, but we never managed to fulfill our complete potential.”
The opportunity was clear under Collins’s command, who gave a new lease of life to Clare. His influence was clearly recognised by those he led; O’Dea, among them, gave him credit for waking the team from an ‘also-ran’ mentality which had long been entrenched.
“He transformed the psyche of Clare football. We were no longer content with narrow losses to competent teams, claiming moral victories; we aspired to dominate,” explained O’Dea. The ambition to be part of a team on the rise is what inspires many players, both on a club and county level, to remain in Ireland. However, when Collins decided to step down after a decade of managing Clare following the county championship run in 2023, O’Dea chose to take a different course.
“The season came late in the year for us, and we were consistently making it to the final qualifier rounds or quarterfinals. After being eliminated from the championship, it was too late to go abroad or on a J1, so I never traveled. When Colm decided to leave, it felt like the right moment for me to attempt something different,” O’Connor said.
Something different indeed, and a new location to boot.
New York GAA were on the hunt for a games development officer. This was an easy decision for O’Dea, an exercise and sports science graduate from the University of Limerick, who had been coaching Gaelic games in multiple Clare schools.
“The United States was always my preferred overseas destination. I didn’t fancy relocating to locations like Canada or Australia,” O’Dea recalled. Being able to continue his work with GAA was pivotal to him taking the plunge – an opportunity too good to pass up.
O’Dea’s role in the United States aligns with his previous work in Ireland – teaching basic skills to children, emphasising participation over competition. However, a crucial part of his job – raising awareness of GAA in the States – was a fresh challenge for him.
“Back in Ireland, the GAA is a known entity; it’s in our schools and community. However, over here, an integral part of my role is to increase visibility and understanding of the game,” he explained.
O’Dea highlights that, although it’s uncommon to find people without at least some hint of Irish heritage, they welcome individuals from all backgrounds and abilities to partake in their workshops and clinics. He notes that the children who join — he estimates about 1,500 boys and 400 girls are participating in New York GAA’s Gaelic games — utilise sporting skills that seem more indigenous to their sporting culture.
He remarks that the style of football prevalent here diverges greatly from how it’s played in his homeland. Noting particularly how American children bounce the ball as if they’re playing basketball, he comments that it essentially feels like a different game altogether. Their athleticism also impresses him, with its focus on running and tactically outmaneuvering their opponent, a semblance of “old-school football”.
O’Dea himself is not ready to hang up his boots, and one of the attractions of New York was the opportunity to continue playing at the intercounty level. Indeed, he still plays, not only for his new club, the Queens-based Shannon Gaels, but also for New York in football and hurling. Earlier this year, he played a part in their win in the Connacht hurling league final against Mayo, their first ever title.
Despite moving to the US with the GAA and for the GAA, O’Dea admits that moving countries can leave you feeling somewhat isolated and unsure. However, from the first day he joined Shannon Gaels and the New York team, he says he felt immediately at home. This made transitioning from Ireland to America considerably smoother. He attributes this to the sense of camaraderie and familiar personalities that embody the changing rooms. O’Dea adds that the GAA’s ability to create a sense of community, no matter where one might find themselves, is truly commendable.
For those embarking on journeys afar, the pull towards their homeland can sometimes be insanely powerful. The absence of all that’s familiar can occasionally feel like a soft tug and at times, a vigorous jolt. Interestingly enough, O’Dea found himself experiencing this pull more intensely in April, when the Clare football team competed against Kerry in the Munster finals. That game, taking place at Cusack Park in Ennis for the first time since 1919, stirred his longing even more than when the Clare hurlers claimed their fifth All-Ireland title.
He admits, watching the Munster finals was more challenging than taking in the All-Ireland hurling championship on television. He expresses that his presence on the football field was needed, and even more so, he felt the urge to participate in the game. Looking at the hurling match on TV, he could appreciate the team’s diligence and what their victory meant for the county. However, football deeply affected him.
Missing out on the game in Ennis, particularly considering its locale, was a tough blow for him. Although not quite a regret, he does wish he could have been a part of it.