2021 marks the 130-year anniversary of the first recorded account of Gaelic games in Wellington, and we celebrated in style on Saturday 12 June.

You can read all about the events, including in-depth match reports from our regional reporters, through the link below. We also have heaps of great photos from the games and the celebrations back in the Hutt Valley Irish Society. 
 

Seamus Flood (green) and Antoine Óg Ó Mainín (yellow) during the past vs present game at Awakāirangi Park on June 12. Read about the game through the link below to see if the self-proclaimed 'legends' team held on against the NZ champions.
 

Exciting news for the club on the sponsorship front — Whistling Sisters Beer Co. have come on board as a new sponsor for the 2021/22 social Gaelic football season. Sincere thanks to Whistling Sisters for this exciting opportunity. We're currently in the process of creating member cards that will include 15 percent discounts on food, tap beer and house wine. We'll have more info on the cards in the coming weeks.

We look forward to building a positive and long-standing relationship with Whistling Sisters over the coming year. In the meantime, make sure to give our new sponsor a follow on Facebook and Instagram and check out their website through the link below.

 

Come along to the triumphant return of our race night at the Hutt Valley Irish Society on Saturday 24 July at 6.30pm.

Bring along some cash and have a flutter on your favourite jockeys over the course of six races.

We'll be providing a bus service to and from Lower Hutt. You can keep up to date with the latest news on our race night through the Facebook event page (see link below). And make sure to bring along a friend or two.
 

Jockeys raring to go at the 2019 race night.
L-R: Michael Whelan, Joanne Kiely, Aoife Hennessy, Deccie Duggan and Dan Doyle.
 

Our rescheduled annual general meeting took place on Tuesday 22 June in Whistling Sisters on Taranaki St. We discussed the year gone and some plans for the coming year. We also elected the committee for 2021/22, which is mostly unchanged from last year.

Enda Costello (vice-President), Ken Lee (secretary) and Kate McCarthy (tournaments manager) have stepped down from the committee. Thanks to each of you for your years of service to our club. A warm welcome to Siobhán Cotter (youth officer) and Eoin ‘Brick’ Norton (tournaments officer).

Congratulations to Davey Rynne who is our new club President; Denise Durkin who has moved into the vice-President role; and Tiaré Verenitani who is our new club secretary.

We’re still looking for a committed and enthusiastic person to take on the vice-secretary role. If you’re interested in getting involved, contact president@wellingtongaa.com.
 

Our golf fundraiser will return for 2021 on Saturday 11 September in Manor Park Golf Sanctuary, Lower Hutt. There will be four-person teams, and teams will have the option to play in an 18-hole competition or a nine-hole scramble.

To play nine holes it will be $35 per player; to play 18 holes it will be $50 per player. You can also sponsor a hole for $100. (The playing fee is not covered in the sponsorship contribution).

If you would like to just play nine holes, you can transfer $35 to:
W/HV GFHA
02-0610-0041088-00
and add reference: "9 holes"

If you would like to play 18 holes, you can transfer $50 to:
W/HV GFHA
02-0610-0041088-00
and add reference: "18 holes"

So mark the date in your calendar and get down to the driving range for some practice. If you have any questions in the meantime, contact Ronan O'Malley at events@wellingtongaa.com.

At a recent meeting of New Zealand clubs, Wellington was provisionally selected to host the Feis/national seven-a-side competition on Labour weekend (23-24 October 2021). It is still to be confirmed whether the Feis will be taking place this year. If it won't be going ahead, the competition will resemble last year's Labour weekend tournament in Te Whiti Park.

Australasian games

O'Carroll Cup

You might have noticed 'The Green & Gold' title at the top of the newsletter. Well, as we're entering the third year of this newsletter – this is the 25th edition since July 2019 – we thought it was about time to give the newsletter its own name.

No, as the name might suggest, the newsletter definitely won't be giving insight into the Kerry footballers' championship campaign – it will continue to look at all things about our green and gold club here in Aotearoa New Zealand. We hope you continue to enjoy these monthly updates for the 2021/22 season. And please do let us know if you have any suggestions for the newsletter going forward.

Check out the links below for the latest news from the region's Irish community: