The All-China Gaelic games is a Gaelic games tournament held annually in China between club teams under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and the Asian County Board (ACB). The Asian County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), is one of the county boards of the GAA set up and running outside the island of Ireland. This county board is responsible for Gaelic games across Asia-Pacific Region, other than Australia and New Zealand (which fall under the Australasia GAA board).
The annual tournament is a one-day event, with both men's and ladies' teams competing in Gaelic football. The tournament is the highlight of the mid-season for the Gaelic Athletic Association Clubs in mainland China. Exhibition games have also been held in International (compromised) rules and Hurling during the event.
The All-China Games began in 2002, and feature GAA teams from across China, such as the Shanghai Gaelic Athletic Association,[1] the Hong Kong Gaelic Athletic Association[2] and the Beijing Gaelic Athletic Association.[3] After being cancelled in 2003 due to the outbreak of SARS, they returned in 2004.
In April 2012 it was decided by the Beijing Gaelic Athletic Association to host the 2012 All-China Games as part of the 10th Anniversary celebration of Beijing GAA.[4] Beijing GAA hosted the 2012 North Asian Games from June 8–10, 2012. It was the first year that the previous All-Asia games are being expanded to include participants from across northern Asia. Beijing invited teams from various Chinese cities, such as Shanghai, Shenzhen, Dalian and Suzhou and for the first time, also invited teams from Taiwan, Korea and Japan.
Teams sanctioned by the Asian GAA can participate in the competition.[5] As of 2012, Chinese based teams included Beijing GAA,[6] Canton Celts,[7] Dalian Wolfhounds,[8] Hong Kong GAA,[9] Shanghai Gaelic Football Club,[10] Shenzhen Celts[11] and Suzhou Eire Og.[12]
Participant players in the competition are primarily Irish diaspora, but they also draw participants from other countries (including China) who learn the sport. For example, players from 22 separate nations competed in the 2005 All-China Gaelic games.
The cumulative top competition winners in the competition to date have been Hong Kong (9) and Shanghai (7).
| Host Location | Year | Men's A Cup | Ladies A Cup | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shanghai | 2002 | Hong Kong GAA | Shanghai Sirens | |
| 2 | 2003 | Cancelled due to SARS | |||
| 3 | Shanghai | 2004 | Hong Kong GAA | Hong Kong GAA | |
| 4 | Beijing | 2005 | Beijing GAA | Hong Kong GAA | |
| 5 | Shenzhen | 2006 | Hong Kong GAA | Hong Kong GAA | |
| 5 | Dalian | 2007 | Shanghai Saints | Beijing GAA | |
| 7 | Beijing | 2008 | Shanghai Saints | Beijing GAA | |
| 7 | Shanghai | 2009 | Hong Kong GAA | Shanghai Sirens | |
| 9 | Shenzhen | 2010 | Hong Kong GAA | Shanghai Sirens | |
| 10 | Shanghai | 2011 | Shanghai Saints | Shanghai Sirens | |
| 11 | Beijing | 2012 | Seoul Gaels | Beijing GAA (A Team) | |
| 12 | Beijing | 2013 | Shanghai Saints (A Team) | Shanghai Saints (A Team) | |
| 13 | Shanghai | 2014 | XX | Shanghai | |
| 14 | Hong Kong | 2015 | Seoul | Hong Kong | |
| 15 | Beijing | 2016 | Seoul | XX | |
| 16 | Beijing | 2017 | Beijing | Hong Kong | |
| 17 | Shanghai | 2018 | Shanghai | Hong Kong |
| Host Location | Year | Men's Plate | Men's Bowl | Ladies Plate | Ladies Bowl | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shanghai | 2002 | ||||
| 2 | 2003 | Cancelled due to SARS | ||||
| 3 | Shanghai | 2004 | ||||
| 4 | Beijing | 2005 | Shenzhen Celts | Shanghai Saints | Shanghai Saints | |
| 5 | Shenzhen | 2006 | Shanghai Saints | |||
| 5 | Dalian | 2007 | Dalian / Shenzhen | |||
| 7 | Beijing | 2008 | Shenzhen Celts | Dalian Wolfhounds | ||
| 7 | Shanghai | 2009 | Beijing GAA | Suzhou GAA | Hong Kong GAA | Shenzhen Celts |
| 9 | Shenzhen | 2010 | Suzhou Eire Og | Beijing GAA | Dalian Wolfhounds | Beijing GAA |
| 10 | Shanghai | 2011 | Shenzhen Celts | Beijing GAA | Dalian Wolfhounds | n/a |
| 11 | Beijing | 2012 | Shanghai B | Dalian Wolfhounds | Dalian/Suzhou | n/a |
| 12 | Beijing | 2013 | n/a | Dalian Wolfhounds | n/a | n/a |
| 13 | Shanghai | 2014 | XX | XX | Dalian | XX |
| Host Location | Year | Men's MVP | Ladies MVP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shanghai | 2002 | ||
| 2 | 2003 | Cancelled due to SARS | ||
| 3 | Shanghai | 2004 | ||
| 4 | Beijing | 2005 | Sean Chiang (Shenzhen) | Antje Keim (HK) |
| 5 | Shenzhen | 2006 | Edward Cosgrove (HK) | Antje Keim (HK) |
| 5 | Dalian | 2007 | Davey Hayes (Shanghai) | Catherine Tulauskas (Shanghai) |
| 7 | Beijing | 2008 | Davey Hayes (Shanghai) | Catherine Tulauskas (Shanghai) |
| 7 | Shanghai | 2009 | Fran Kevlihan (Dalian Wolfhounds) | Niamh Furey (Shenzhen Celts) |
| 9 | Shenzhen | 2010 | Barry Waters (HKGAA) | Aisling Smith (Shanghai) |
| 10 | Shanghai | 2011 | Enda Winters (Beijing) | Mei Lin (Shezhen) |
| 11 | Beijing | 2012 | Enda Winters (Beijing) | Aine Deasy (Seoul Gaels) |
| 12 | Beijing | 2013 | Enda Winters (Beijing) | (n/a) |
| 13 | Shanghai | 2013 | XX | XX |