January University of Galway launches Gaelic Games championship season

University of Galway has officially launched its 2025/26 Gaelic Games season at a special event celebrating its elite student-athletes and the future of the sport.

 The event brought together players, sponsors, Gaelic Games committee members, and University staff to mark the start of Higher Education Championships and to showcase the University’s vision and ambitions for clubs and students involved in Gaelic Games.

 The launch highlighted the University’s four codes - Senior Men’s Football, Senior Ladies Football, Hurling and Camogie - with a strong emphasis on working towards the development of the One Club Model, an innovative approach designed to strengthen unity, shared standards, and a collective identity across all clubs.

 University of Galway’s Sport and Physical Activity Unit is working on a plan towards the One Club Model that will be sustainable and beneficial to all students interested in Gaelic Games.

The event also highlighted the University’s dual aspirational ethos, creating opportunities for participants at every level, from beginners to high-performance athletes.

            Des Ryan, Director of Sport and Physical Wellbeing at University of Galway, said: "The launch of our 2025/26 Gaelic Games championship season is an opportunity to bring everyone together and clearly communicate our vision for sport at University of Galway.

 “We want to be the most progressive and caring university sports programme on the Island of Ireland. Our Gaelic Games clubs are a great example of this, and we look forward to going on a journey to a One Club Model that is built on firm foundations.

 “The launch is also a great opportunity to thank our sponsors and celebrate an exciting period for student athletes. We want our players to feel fully supported as students and athletes, while enjoying their sport and striving for the highest standards across all four codes."

 The event featured star players such as Eva Noone, Galway Ladies Footballer, Reitseal Kelly, Galway Senior Camogie player, Canice Mulligan, Sligo Senior Footballer, Matthew Thompson, Galway Senior Footballer, and Sam O’Farrell, Tipperary Senior Hurler. 

 Alongside these established names, the squads included a number of exciting young rising stars, including Shay McGlinchy and Aaron Niland, whose impressive performances at underage inter-county and club level highlight the depth of talent at University of Galway and its pivotal role in developing players across Men’s Football, Ladies Football, Hurling and Camogie.

 The launch also acknowledged the continued commitment of the University’s Gaelic Games sponsors, club committees and volunteers, whose efforts remain central to the success, growth and sustainability of Gaelic Games across all four codes.

 Ends