THIS is the moment Pope Leo was gifted a special GAA jersey in the Vatican for the Jubilee of Sport.
Three members of the Rome Hibernia Gaelic Athletic Association – two from Ireland and one from New York – caught the Pope’s attention when they managed to get front row seats at the ceremony last week.
Pope Leo gifted GAA jersey during audience at the Vatican[/caption]
And Pope Leo mentioned Ireland during his greetings in St Peter’s Basilica last Sunday.
Catherine Hallinan and Niamh Ryan, from Ireland, and Katie Molloy, from New York, who have been living in Rome for a number of years, attended the mass which closes the Jubilee of Sport.
The event took place on June 14 and 15 and invited thousands of athletes of all levels, backgrounds, and sports to “reflect on the role of sport as a source of resilience and fraternity”.
Niamh Ryan, who is originally from Ballybricken village in Co Limerick, told RTE that the GAA “helps bring people together”.
Niamh, who is a teacher, has enjoyed a brilliant GAA career with her home county.
Speaking to RTE, Niamh said: “For me, the GAA lives out the Jubilee of Sport theme through its strong emphasis on teamwork, which helps bring people together.
“We have six different languages on our team so the game unites this group of people together, despite your background or wherever you come from.”
Catherine added that the GAA is more relevant today than ever.
Originally from Clonmel in Tipperary, Catherine also reinforced that idea that sports “brings people together”.
She said: “There are as many GAA pitches as churches in Ireland.
IRISH IDENTITY
“The GAA and our religion went hand in hand in keeping the Irish identity alive through a long, and at times, troubled history.
“Sport brings people together from all walks of life, and our men and women’s teams travel all around Europe competing.”
Catherine also said that she was thrilled to hear the Pope mentioned her home country during his greetings at the Vatican.
She added that, as Pope Leo has a special jersey, he can now be an honorary member of the GAA.
Katie Molloy said: “We were able to pass on our special Jubilee of Sport jersey. We got the Jubilee logo printed on the sleeve, written ‘as gaeilge’.”
Catherine Hallinan, Niamh Ryan and Katie Molloy caught the Pope’s attention last week[/caption]
