The Borrisoleigh mena aiming for hurling glory with Canada

Every weekend, a small corner of rural Ontario, Canada, becomes an unlikely outpost of Ireland’s national sport.

By Éanna Mackey

Every weekend, a small corner of rural Ontario, Canada, becomes an unlikely outpost of Ireland’s national sport.

In Vankleek Hill, halfway between Ottawa and Montreal, Canada’s hurling team gathers on a local school pitch to sharpen their skills for next summer’s GAA World Games being held in Waterford.

The players, many of whom only discovered the sport as adults, are guided by two Tipperary men who grew up hurling together in Borrisoleigh and now find themselves leading Canada’s charge on the world stage.

Rodger “Rocky” Ryan and Cathal O’Connell hurled side by side in the maroon & white of Borris-Ileigh. Life eventually scattered them – new careers, new countries, different paths. But here they are again, reunited on a frosty October morning in the storybook village of Vankleek Hill.

O’Connell lives and works along the banks of the St Lawrence River in Montreal, while Ryan runs St Bridget’s Well, a pub in the basement of a de-sanctified Irish church in the nation’s capital, Ottawa.

“Me and Rocky have always known each other,” Cathal said.

“When I landed in Montreal, he actually came up on my first day to show me around. And when my parents came over, I brought them up to Ottawa to see his pub.”

In terms of remaining engaged in this passion for hurling, Cathal said: “Being able to coach over here is brilliant.

“These lads are as enthusiastic as 12-year-olds at home; they just want to hurl. We have a lad over here named Nacho, and he’s 47; he only started hurling last year. Now he’s out playing every day and has his young lad with him; he’s only four.”

“It’s great to see these lads learning and improving. I would’ve done a bit of coaching at home and always really enjoyed it. It’s great to mix with the Ottawa and Kingston lads as well. A lot of them played baseball and hockey and have transferred those skills to hurling.”

The GAA has been central to both men’s experiences in Canada, just as it is for countless Irish people who move abroad for work or study. Clubs across the globe become a ready-made community, a connection to home that never weakens.

“The GAA is great,” O’Connell added.

“You’ve a ready-made social circle you can just slip into. It’s brilliant in the winter. We have an indoor hurling league, which is crucial because winters over here can be long and bleak, and it’s a great excuse to meet up, play hurling and socialise.

“When we landed out here first, the club were just brilliant, helping us with accommodation and work and stuff. It’s a great way to embed yourself in the community.”

For Ryan, the GAA is the cornerstone of his life in Ottawa. He first crossed the Atlantic in 2016, initially landing in Baltimore, USA, after working as a match reporter for the Nenagh Guardian. Ottawa later became home, and everything still revolves around the sport that shaped him.

“Having the GAA is everything,” who goes primarily by Rocky.

“When you go abroad, you either have your family, religion, or the GAA, and for me it’s the GAA. I watch every single Borris-Ileigh match if it’s streamed. It’s the best way to stay connected to home.

“Through the GAA you can tell how the town is doing by watching a match and seeing who’s at it and who’s laughing on the sideline. It’s a great sense of comfort. If there’s a Borris match on at 8.00am on the weekend, I’ll go to a coffee shop, set up the laptop, and shout and scream and scare everyone else in the place for an hour, and it’s an absolute treat.”

Looking ahead, excitement is building at the prospect of competing in Waterford next summer. For many of the Canadian-born players, it will be their third outing at the World Games, held every three years. Last time out, they impressed in Derry, and now they want to push on further.

For the two Borrisoleigh men, it’s about giving something back. Canada welcomed them with open arms. Now the World Games offer a chance to return the favour, both on and off the pitch.

“It’s such a cool experience,” Ryan added.

“I’ve trained the Canadians for the last three World Games, but I’ve never gone with them. This is my first time going, and I’m really excited for it and to experience it through the eyes of the boys.”

“We see hurling all the time, and we grow up around amazing players, but these lads don’t. I think we’ll have a right crack at it. My brother-in-law is a Mount Sion man, so we’ll be well set up there as well!”

“Bringing them to Ireland will be great. Hopefully we can bring them up to Borris and organise a game. Some of these lads were very good to me when I came over, so it’ll be great to show them the country after they were so welcoming and repay the favour.”