All are welcome to the Tayto Longford Arms Comórtas Peile Páidi Ó Sé 2012, an invitational Ladies and Men’s GAA football tournament which will take place from 24-26 February. Now in its 23rd year, the Comórtas has expanded this year to include 26 senior, intermediate and junior GAA club teams from 15 counties and the greater London area competing over the weekend across eight match venues in West Kerry.
There will be live music and DJ's every night, a Big Al's BBQ on Friday and a players banquet on Saturday night at tournament HQ, Paidi O'Se's pub. A fest of football is also on the cards.
Officially launched by An Taoiseach Enda Kenny, it was announced that the men's senior cup will be renamed in memory of former Defence Forces Chief of Staff and Roscommon footballing legend Dermot Earley. The blessing of the Dermot Earley Cup (Corn Óglaigh na hÉireann i gcuimhne Dermot Earley) and a recital from the Army No. 1 Band will take place at Ventry Church, West Kerry at 10am:on Sunday morning, 26th February.
The player of the tournament award will also be renamed in honour of the late Sunday Independent editor and Kerryman, Aengus Fanning.
<p>The tournament, which will attract over 700 participants to the West Kerry region, is supported by Tayto and the Longford Arms Hotel along with associate partners Lee Strand Co-Operative, Keelings Fruit Growers & Suppliers and Munster Joinery. We are also pleased to announce Newstalk 106-108FM as media partners for this year.
Páidi Ó Sé commented, “I’m thrilled to be able to acknowledge in some way the contribution Dermot Earley made in a GAA sense apart from all the other great things that he achieved in his life. I also am thrilled to remember my old friend Aengus Fanning. A great musician and a great spotter of footballing talent. To that end, we are permanently naming our Player of the Tournament award in Aengus’s memory. I’m delighted that Tayto and the Longford Arms and of course our newest player in national radio, Newstalk, are supporting the Comórtas as I know they all like to give something back to the communities that support their business and so this club tournament is a great fit for them. Jim Reynolds of the Longford Arms is a long-time supporter of the GAA and we are thrilled that he is continuing that support through our tournament.”
Páidi continued, “The feedback every year is very positive from clubs. That’s why we decided to expand it to include a Men’s and Ladies Junior Cup and also an Intermediate Ladies invitational competition this year. We can only make this possible with support from all our partners and I am very grateful for the local support of Kerry based Lee Strand for that along with support from Munster Joinery and also Keelings Fruit Growers.”
Since its inception the weekend football festival has grown in popularity and in recent years has diversified it’s offering to include more Gaelic games and also aspects of Irish tradition and culture including music events, an annual photographic exhibition and a Media Award for contribution to reporting on Gaelic games.
On Sunday, 26th February a photographic exhibition of The Kerryman newspaper photographer John Cleary will be launched in Paidi’s pub in Ventry where the exhibition of Irish landscapes and other aspects of Irish life will be on display over the coming months. The Media Award will be also presented at the launch of the photographic exhibition.
For media enquires contact: Killian Burns, 086-7988540, burnscommunications@gmail.com
For general enquiries contact Paidi’s Pub on 06691-59011
Click here to download the tournament fixtures
