Michael Darragh Macaulay with Mary Allen of Irish Queenslander at Gold Coast Gaels first game in Southport Sharks. Pic: IQ

Gold Coast Gaels are about to celebrate ten years since their launch and will be having a gala dinner to mark the milestone in November.

Gold Coast Gaels opening exhibition game, against a Brisbane side made up of Easts Celts, Harps and Shamrocks players, marked the first ever GAA match officially played on the Gold Coast. The game was held at Southport Sharks grounds on January 2, 2014.

Star GAA player and 2013 Footballer of the Year in Ireland, Michael Darragh Macaulay was in the Gold Coast at the time visiting his brother, Gold Coast Gaels Secretary Joe Macaulay. Michael Darragh donned the Gold Coast Gaels jersey and took part in the match, playing centre-field.

Irish Queenslander was there at the start. Editor Mary Allen was contacted by Daniel O’Halloran, the first president and a founding member of the team, asking her to put him in touch with her contacts at Queensland Gaelic Football and Hurling Association. She designed the logo of the Gold Coast Gaels free of charge, a logo that reflects the sun and sea of the Gold Coast and their colours, while also remaining Celtic and, a specific request by Daniel, includes the iconic Q1 building. Mary made Irish Queenslander the media sponsor of the team for 2014 to help them gain publicity. She also photographed and reported on the launch game, the resulting stories published in Irish Queenslander print magazine are pictured above.

Michael Darragh told Irish Queenslander: “In fairness, the two boys, Joseph and Dan (president Daniel O’Halloran) have put huge amounts of work into setting up the Gaels, and also financially. It’s not cheap setting these things up. They’re hoping to get a real sense of community going amongst the Irish in the Gold Coast. Hopefully, this is the start of bigger things.”

Seamus Sullivan, then president of Queensland Gaelic Football and Hurling Association, said in his regular column in Irish Queenslander: “This is the first time the Association’s football has been able to go regional, which is where it needs to go. We hope that Gold Coast Gaels will develop new, non-Irish players, an area we feel is necessary also in Brisbane in order for the Association to expand.”

Tickets are now on sale for Gold Coast Gaels’ 10th Anniversary Gala Dinner, which will be held at The Island Glasshouse, Surfer’s Paradise, on 25th November 2023. There will be a five-hour drinks package, two-course meal, live music by The Gathering, and it’s formal attire. Tickets cost $180. To secure your ticket, contact Declan on +61 417 275 409 / goldcoastgaelspro@yahoo.com before Friday, 3rd November.

In the run-up to the 10-year anniversary, each week the team will have a throwback Thursday on their social media pages with photos and videos taken at their games and events over the past decade.

Irish Queenslander has more photographs of Gold Coast Gaels early days too, which will be published on our social media accounts over the coming months.