A cousin of a former Irish rugby international, who is among a team spearheading placing Gaelic games on the PE curriculum in British schools, says there has been an explosion of interest amongst children from non-Irish backgrounds.
The GAA’s Community Development Administrator for the county of Hertfordshire, north of London, Luton-based Keith Jackman (46,) is a cousin of ex-Ireland rugby international and pundit, Bernard Jackman.
Keith estimates that 60% of the 3,083 children across 31 schools in Hertfordshire he has engaged with this year come from non-Irish backgrounds.
Later this month, he will coach his Hertfordshire boys U15 Gaelic footballers at the John West Féile Peile na nÓg national finals in County Derry.
Essentially an All-Ireland for cub sides across all four codes and grades at under-15 level, John West Féile is, for many players, their first time to compete in a Gaelic games national championship.
In the 10-years of John West’s sponsorship of Féile, the competition has grown to become one of the biggest underage sporting events in Europe. The company seeks to promote the importance of resilience and nutrition among juveniles through its sponsorship.
To mark the tenth anniversary of the partnership, it is this year honouring parents and coaches who ensure thousands of young players are brought together annually.
Former London county footballer Keith, originally from Tullow, County Carlow, spends much of his working week in Hertfordshire primary and secondary schools to ensure Gaelic games become a staple of the PE curriculum.
Youth participation in Gaelic Games in Britain is rocketing, with a 28% increase recorded by the GAA over the last four years.
In London alone, the number of young people joining the GAA has increased by 20%, reaching 1,975 in 2024.
And while the majority are still first- and second-generation Irish, the GAA’s work in schools in Britain is making Gaelic games attractive to children seeking alternatives to traditional British school sports, according to Keith.
“Having gone into 31 schools in Hertfordshire so far this year, and engaged with 3,083 children, I’d say over 60% come from non-Irish backgrounds,” he said.
“Years ago you knew you were pushing an open door bringing GAA to a Catholic school in Luton.
“So I looked at non-Catholic schools in the hope teachers were looking for other sports.
“The majority of children are not picked for traditional sports teams. So when you introduce Gaelic football, which is a large round ball game with an easy to understand scoring system, it provokes great interest.
“Our primary school games are 10-a-side with six boys and four girls. The great thing about Gaelic football at that level is that everyone can find a position to suit their capabilities.
“You have to build trust with teachers and parents. So parents see children coming home with certificates and teachers get an introduction to Gaelic games coaching course so they can go on and coach.
“I start with a hand written letter to the school, and am now booked out until September, there is a waiting list.
“Children are given a six week programme to master the game, and take up among those with non-Irish backgrounds is unbelievable.
“The medium term aim is that children affiliate with local clubs.”
Next year, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire GAA plan to combine to run the GAA’s inclusivity programme, ‘GAA For All’ at the Watford FC training dome.
Teams in London are also using the 63 acre Hazelwood Centre at Sunbury on Thames, also utilised by London Irish Rugby teams and the Brentford FC Community Sports Trust.
At the John West Féile finals, competing sides from outside the island of Ireland are usually an amalgam of club teams playing under a county banner, club sides here play off at local level for the honour of representing their county.
Top-tier sides compete in what are known as the national finals, which take place in Wexford on Saturday, June 21 (Féile na nGael: camogie and hurling) and Derry on Saturday, June 28 (Féile Peile na nÓg: Gaelic football and ladies’ football).
Teams at other grades will take part in regional finals at venues throughout the country over the same two Saturdays. A combined total of 9,000 players will take part.