Gaelic Games Canada#Toronto Division (TGAA)

{{See also|Shamrock Field|United States GAA}}

Gaelic games have been played in Canada since before the foundation of the Gaelic Athletic Association in the 1880s, with some sources indicating that games of hurling were played in St. John's, Newfoundland in 1788.{{cite web|url = http://usgaa.org/history/ | publisher = US Gaelic Athletic Association | website = usgaa.org | title = USGAA History | access-date = 16 July 2020 }}

Since the formation of the American County Board in the 1950s, Canadian teams have competed alongside teams from the United States. A separate and distinct Canadian County Board was founded in November 1987,{{cite web|url = https://gaelicgamescanada.com/about-us/ |publisher = Canadian Gaelic Athletic Association | title = About Us - GAA in Canada | website = gaelicgamescanada.com | access-date = 15 July 2020 }} and represented upwards of 20 clubs within Canada. The organization has since been renamed, "Gaelic Games Canada" (GGC).

In 2017, Jim Kelly, the Irish ambassador to Canada, said:

{{Blockquote

|text=...GAA in Canada continues to grow and flourish, bringing together people of all backgrounds to learn and love our national games, to develop a deep sense of community, and to build a strong connection with Ireland.{{Cite web|last=Whan|first=Christopher|date=2017-08-28|title=Eastern Canadian GAA Championships coming to Twin Elm rugby park Sept. 2|url=https://www.insideottawavalley.com/news-story/7525190-eastern-canadian-gaa-championships-coming-to-twin-elm-rugby-park-sept-2/|access-date=2020-07-14|website=InsideOttawaValley.com|language=en-CA}}

|title="Eastern Canadian GAA Championships coming to Twin Elm rugby park Sept. 2"

|source=InsideOttawaValley.com (2017-08-28)

|author=Christopher Whan

}}

{{See also|Montreal Shamrocks GAC|Toronto GAA}}

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The Canadian County Board of the GAA has overall control of GAA activities in Canada and organized into three divisional boards.{{cite web|url = https://gaelicgamescanada.com/committee/divisional/ |publisher = Canadian Gaelic Athletic Association | website = gaelicgamescanada.com | title = Divisional | access-date = 15 July 2020 }} These boards, representing different areas of Canada, include the Toronto Board, Western Divisional Board and Eastern Canada GAA Board.{{Cite news|last=Harding|first=Gail|date=Aug 31, 2018|title=P.E.I. women's Gaelic football team to play debut games this weekend|work=CBC News|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-women-gaelic-football-team-game-championship-1.4805981}}

Established in 1947,{{cite web|url = http://www.torontogaa.com/about-us.html | website = torontogaa.com | publisher = Toronto GAA | title = About the Toronto GAA | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20200715161536/http://www.torontogaa.com/about-us.html | archivedate = 15 July 2020 }} the Toronto (or Central) Board covers teams in the Greater Toronto Area. Today, the Toronto Gaelic Athletic Association (TGAA) divisional sub committee organizes Gaelic games clubs and competitions in the Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal areas. As of mid-2020 this included 6 Men's Gaelic football teams, 5 Ladies Gaelic football teams, 2 hurling teams, 2 camogie teams and 3 minor programs.

Founded in May 2003, the Western Canada Gaelic Athletic Association (WCGAA or Western Division) covers Gaelic Athletics Activities in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Many of the clubs in the division have field both men's and ladies' teams.

Unaffiliated clubs in Western Canada are often invited to attend WCGAA tournaments, even though they are not affiliated with the division (e.g. Lethbridge Laochra, Seattle Gaels, Fort McMurray, Vancouver Irish, etc) or the GAA (e.g. Vancouver Cougars, Calgary Kangaroos, and Calgary Kookaburras Australian rules football teams).{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}

The main competition in the Western Division is the Western Canadian Championship. Teams also play in local competitions, including the Alberta Cup,{{Cite web|date=2013-04-05|title=A piece of Ireland found in Red Deer|url=https://www.reddeeradvocate.com/news/a-piece-of-ireland-found-in-red-deer/|access-date=2020-07-14|website=Red Deer Advocate|language=en-US}} which serves as a feeder to the Championship, and is hosted by the individual teams themselves.{{Cite web|first =Trevor |last = Howlett |date=2013-05-30|title=Shamrocks bringing Gaelic football tournament to Fort McMurray|url=https://www.fortmcmurraytoday.com/2013/05/30/shamrocks-bringing-gaelic-football-tournament-to-fort-mcmurray/wcm/527e482e-e76c-107b-6b3a-bfc539878360|access-date=2020-07-14|website=Fort McMurray Today|language=en-US}}

The Eastern Division Gaelic Athletic Association (ECGAA) divisional sub committee, or Eastern Division, was established in 2014, and covers eastern Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.

The primary competition of the Eastern Division is the Eastern Canadian Championships. This competition was first established in 2014, and held in Newfoundland.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/sports/other-sports/gaelic-footballhurling-eastern-canadians-takes-place-saturday-238013/|date = 31 August 2018 | access-date=2020-07-14|website=www.theguardian.pe.ca | title = Gaelic football/hurling Eastern Canadians takes place Saturday }} In 2017, youth games were included at the Championships held in Ottawa.

{{See also|List of Gaelic games clubs outside Ireland}}

{{Update|date=May 2022}}

There are clubs in every province of Canada with the exception of

New Brunswick, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and the Yukon.

The following are the GAA clubs of the Canadian Gaelic Athletic Association, (CGAA):{{cite web |url=https://gaelicgamescanada.com/clubs/ |title=Canada - Gaelic Athletic Association Clubs |website=gaelicgamescanada|author= |date= |access-date=22 May 2022 |publisher= |language=en}}

• GFC = Gaelic Football Club
• GAA = Gaelic Athletic Association

• GFC = Gaelic Football Club
• GAA = Gaelic Athletic Association

• GFC = Gaelic Football Club
• GAA = Gaelic Athletic Association
• ISSC = Vancouver Irish Sporting and Social Club{{cite web |url=http://www.isscvancouver.com/ |title=ISSC Vancouver GAA |website=isscvancouver.com |author= |date= |access-date=21 May 2022 |publisher= |language=en}}

{{see|Western Canadian Championship (Gaelic football)}}

Canadians who participation in Gaelic Games have a number of opportunities to compete at the local, provincial, and inter-provincial level, within Canadian borders.{{fact|date=May 2022}}

These include the Western Canadian Championship, which is a tournament for Canadian Gaelic football teams.

The inaugural Canadian National Championships were held in Toronto in 2022.{{cite news|first=Michael|last=Verney|date=5 September 2022|title=Vancouver GAA club JP Ryan's land inaugural Canadian Championship|work=Irish Independent}} Gaelic games, across all codes, were played at all levels. It was an all Vancouver hurling final when JP Ryan's defeated local rivals Cú Chulainn whilst St Finnian's defeated St Vincent's in the Men's Football final.{{fact|date=January 2024}} In camogie, Le Chéile Camogie Club came out on top after the 3rd and final game.{{fact|date=January 2024}} ISSC Vancouver Ladies footballers came from 8 pts behind to defeat Toronto's Ladies Football Champions St Pat's in the ladies football final.{{fact|date=January 2024}}

{{see|United_States_GAA#Competitions}}

In North American competition, Canadian teams compete in the USGAA North American Championships, hosted in America by the United States Gaelic Athletic Association (USGAA).

Canada GAA has previously sent Canadian teams to the GAA World Games, including the 2016 Etihad Airways GAA World Games.{{fact|date=May 2022}} For the 2019 Renault GAA World Games, thirty-four Montreal Shamrocks were selected to represent Canada. This competition was hosted in Ireland in July 2019.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUp1W6EXEHg |title=Renault GAA World Games - Canada GAA|website=youtube.com|author=GAA |date=12 August 2019 |access-date=23 May 2019|publisher=OfficialGAA|language=en}} It was the largest delegate from 1 club in Canada.{{cn|date=May 2022}}

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{{Gaelic games in North America}}

{{GAA bodies}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Canadian Gaa}}

Category:Sports organizations established in 1987

Category:Gaelic games clubs in Canada

Category:Irish-Canadian culture