GPS G.A.A. Style

GPS is an essential for any hockey, soccer of GAA team here in Brussels. In the case of the hockey and the soccer, most games are scattered across the city but with no obvious link to a specific place. For example, FC Babylon, one of the easier names to pronounce, gives little away in terms of location. Similiarily, if you were to play hockey in Oranje HC, you would be a long time guessing its location based on its name.

Whilst G.A.A. clubs abroad generally honour tradition and name their clubs after where they are from, GPS is still a neccessity to navigate the autobahn and other highways on the continent. Bang in the address and you can go into autopilot mode and get to your desired location with little stress but also little memory on how to get there.

GPS hasn't really been acknowledged by the Irish in Ireland yet though. One reason could be that maps don't exist with all the roads included, at least not when I got a rental car to go to Belfast and it tried to get me to drive into a river on a trip up to Belfast. Another could be that the sign posting is just very good, but i doubt that. Generally though we trust the directions of those around us. If we're told get to Charleville and take a left at The Four Winds pub, then we'll head off and worry about the rest later.

Playing in the City Hurling league provides my home club's hurlers with the challenge of finding G.A.A. pitches many haven't graced previously. Last Thursday we headed for Whitechurch. I thought to myself that I had seen that sign somewhere before but wasn't sure. The road to Mallow, before or after the turn off for Grenagh? When we met in our field there was a brief discussion about the whereabouts of our destination and after some minor disagreement we reached consensus. Up through Blackpool, out the road to Mallow, keep going till ya see the sign for Whitechurch, turn right under the bridge and take it from there.

So off we set and true to form everything went smoothly and under the bridge we went. The signposts dried up at this stage but there is a kind of magnetic pull of the local G.A.A. pitch which sets in at this stage. Indicators could be a general trend of traffic in one direction or the ultimate guide; a young fella with a hurley across the handlebar and gear back strapped to his back.

Of course we found our destination despite overshooting it slightly. All others did too, GPSless but with the destination saved in the favourites compartment of the brain. Its a reminder of the simplicity of the G.A.A. and its attachment to place. You never need an address, just a name of the club. You can be sure if you can land in the town or village that the local pitch will not be far from the other basic amenities; the pub, the shop and the church. And if you are really in doubt, the locals will always be proud to tell you the way. Try that trick in the heart of Anderlecht on a Saturday afternoon!!