Canadian high schools Oak Park and Villanova College travel to Ireland

Canadian high schools Oak Park and Villanova College will travel to Ireland and meet on the gridiron as part of Global Ireland Football Tournament 2012

International flavor of GIFT event increases as schools from Manitoba and Ontario join teams from the United States at Páirc Tailteann in County Meath

Two top high school American football teams from Canada will travel to Ireland this summer to play each other at the famous Páirc Tailteann, home of Meath Gaelic Football and Hurling, as part of the Global Ireland Football Tournament (GIFT) 2012.

The clash between Oak Park High School from Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Villanova College from King City near Toronto, Ontario, will kick off a double-header of two games being played at the 20,000-capacity venue in Navan, County Meath, on Friday, August 31. The Canadian rivals will meet at 4pm, followed by a clash between Notre Dame Preparatory High School from Scottsdale, Arizona, and Father Judge High School of Philadelphia at 7.30pm.

One of the nation’s top-ranked high school teams, Oak Park suffered only one defeat in 2011 and reached the final of the Winnipeg High School Football League ANAVETS Bowl for the third year in a row as defending champions.

Head Coach Stuart Nixon, who has led the Raiders fortunes since 2003, said: “Everyone involved in our program is so excited to have the opportunity to take part in this tournament and showcase our team across the pond. A trip of this magnitude has involved a great deal of work on the part of the coaches, parents and players but I am sure it will be an unforgettable experience that will be well worth it.”

Villanova College was established in 1999 and the football program was started in 2002 under head coach Marcello Lio, who played American football with Bergamo and Nuremburg in Italy and Germany. Last season the Knights posted a 3-5 record.

“This is a great step forward in our young football program and we are very grateful to be one of only two Canadian high schools taking part in this historic international event,” said Coach Lio. “This is going to be a global event our football team will never forget. Our coaching staff has worked tirelessly at making this remarkable opportunity come to fruition. I sincerely have to thank our school administration and parents for their support.”

Tickets are on sale through www.Tickets.ie/GIFT2012 priced €15 for adults and may be printed from home after purchasing. Admission is free for children aged 12 and under and a €10 student ticket will be available at the venues on game day.

Patrick Steenberge, President of GIFT 2012 organizer Global Football said: “Having two top athletic and academic schools from Canada involved in GIFT is truly special, further broadening the global scope of this historic event. Next to America, Canada plays at the highest level and with the largest number of participants in the sport, anywhere in the world. These teams are sure to stage a highly competitive, entertaining game. Páirc Tailteann Stadium is an ideal showcase for our games.”

The ‘double-header’ at the historic GAA stadium is one of three Global Ireland Football Tournament showcases that day featuring a total of 12 teams from Arizona, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Manitoba, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin being staged at three different venues in and around Dublin. The games will be played on the eve of the Emerald Isle Classic being played at the AVIVA Stadium between Notre Dame and Navy.

The Irish American Football Association (IAFA) endorses the GIFT 2012 event and one of their member teams, the Trim Bulldogs, will provide support for the games at Páirc Tailteann. With more than 20,000 gridiron fans expected to travel to Ireland in the last week of August, the town of Trim will add to the celebrations by holding the ‘Feile Americana’. The 5-day festival will showcase the very best of music, arts and cuisine from both sides of the Atlantic from August 29 to September 2.

Trim’s pubs and hotels will have live music each night of the festival, ranging from traditional Irish music to jazz, country and bluegrass. An American-style drive-in cinema will provide entertainment for the whole family on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The event will be centrally located in the town’s Porchie Fields and will be showing up to three movies a day free of charge. A pedestrian viewing area will accommodate those who prefer sit out in the open air to enjoy the screenings.

Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon will provide locals and visitors alike with the chance to experience the very best in traditional music from both sides of the Atlantic. The Music Stage along with a selection of food and beverage vendors will provide a relaxing atmosphere, where people can sit out and enjoy the music that the festival has to offer.

The beautiful green area at the front of Trim Castle’s Dublin gate will be transformed into a quintessential American style country fair, with the best of Irish and American artisan foods and crafts on sale. The market will give all comers the opportunity to indulge in everything from Californian Blueberry muffins to New England Clam Chowder, a New Yorker Hot Dog to the Deep South’s Creole Cookin’ as well as many unique Irish foods and flavors.

Other events over the weekend will include a Gala Dinner and Charity Auction and an exhibition game featuring County Meath’s very own Trim Bulldogs.

Villanova College will stay at the New Grange Hotel in Navan during their visit, while Oak Park High School will stay at the Royal Hotel in Bray.

“I trust our visitors will enjoy their historic visit to an equally historic county,” said Meath GAA Cathaoirleach (President) Bernard Allen. “Coiste na Mí (County Meath) is determined to make their stay an unforgettable one.

“Páirc Tailteann has hosted many great games since it opened in 1935. Australian youth teams played in the Navan venue, so these teams will be joining an elite group of great sports personnel who will display all that is good in sport. We hope the memories they will take with them from the Royal County will endure well into the future.”