All Hail Those That Came Before

Cian, Fergal, Chaz, Aine, Willie and Adrian. These are some of the names who were instrumental in the start-up of what was formerly know as Brussels Hurling and Camogie club back in 2004. Their interest in hurling brought the game from Ireland to Woluwe Parc to the BSB Elephant pitches and to its current resting place in Parc 50.

Since those early days the club has suffered many a dark day but the committment to the game was never in doubt as the club fulfilled fixtures all over Europe when other more talented panels lay dorment at home. There was a hammering down in Munich in 2006 that sticks out in particular. No other club travelled except ourselves and we got very little change out of the trip.

Two factors helped the development of the team; moving into the city centre pitch and the addition of a football side to the club. Both helped attract new players and set a platform from which to grow. In 2008, Erins Isle native took over the managerial reigns from Tipp man Willie Cashin. The disappointments didn't dry up immediately though and were further punctuated with a one point defeat to a very talented Luxembourg side in our home tournament that summer. The breakthrough would come soon enough. In the last Tournament of the year we claimed the Zurich tournament on a sun drenched September Saturday in Central Europe.

The addition of new players early in 2009 meant that the team started bulging at the seams to such an extent that we threatened to put a formidable panel together. Paris was claimed before the mother of all battles took place down in Luxembourg. An abundance of absentees and the fatal blow to Crusher's knee failed to derail our team. Three periods of extra time may have had the players on their knees but it had the crowd on their feet. We won the most tense of duels against the Hague by a solidary point.

Finally we claimed victory in our home tournament but our panel was again stretched to its limit for the away day in Zurich. Eleven men drove nearly 8 hours on the Saturday to play three games that afternoon. We won the tournament and rubber stamped the Championship all at once.

With the title wrapped up, a trip to the Hague has not floated the boat of the rest so tomorrow it will be just ourselves and The Hague to battle it out for the final trophy of the year. The Championship may be won but our opponents aren't of the variety that will lie down and die. We travel with 18, just short of getting a second eleven out. Our panel is strong, bolstered by the addition of Fergal Mythen and Jim McGrath, Tipp man and former Cavan hurler. We'll be without Willie Cashin and Eoghan Kelly amongst others. Declan Hillary is unlikely to travel due to the pending arrival of his first child. Mr. Devine is also otherwise engaged and those absences would be ones we couldn't have coped with in the past.

Whilst tomorrow will lack the usual edge we will be hell bent on completing the 'Grand Slam'. And when the cup is hoist up in the sky by captain Kevin Keary, we'll spare a thought for those who once dreamed of a hurling club in Brussels, for those who persevered on shitty rainy days when they had less then a handful of fellow die hards to train with and for all those who suffered disappointments in the hurling outposts of Europe. On Saturday night, the Euopean Hurling cup, the Men's Gaelic Football cup and the Ladies's Gaelic cup will all rest proudly on mantlepieces in Brussels. I doubt they have been united like this before. The club has come along way.