Tyrone GAA New York, a home from home

Tyrone GAA in New York provides a support group for ex-pats

All-Ireland winning midfielder Mickey Coleman is certainly no stranger to Tyrone New York, with an association going back more than a decade.

The Ardboe singer-songwriter has made the move to base himself in the Big Apple, and is currently coaching the New York side ahead of their Connacht championship opener next month.

He certainly recognises the importance to immigrants of being part of a GAA club when they are abroad, and insists that being involved with an established and decorated club like Tyrone New York can make a huge difference when establishing yourself in those new surroundings.

“I used to come out and play for Tyrone here regularly. At that time it was the weekend sanctions, you could have come out here and played a game on the Sunday, flew home and played a game for your club again on the Monday night. That has changed obviously, and you’re not allowed to do that any more.

“I played here again last year, myself and Kieran Campbell came out for the break during the league and Championship with Ardboe, and played three months with Tyrone here. It was very enjoyable, and hopefully I’ll get the chance to pull on the boots for them again this season.

“When you join up with a club out here, it’s all about the networking. You get to meet new people, if you’re playing for a club out here then you’ll always get a bit of work and a place to stay, you’ll never be stuck.”

Coleman recognises that the intense work life which many players endure, with early starts and long days, can have a detrimental effect on their ability to train. However, he points to the fact that the standard of football on show goes through a marked increase in quality as the season goes by.

The full story is in the current issue of Gaelic Life, published Thursday April 19. Buy yours in a newsagents, or online by clicking the subscribe button