Watch: Clare's newest GAA club gets up and running - in east Africa

Clare hurling fans are gearing up for Sunday’s All Ireland Final at their newest club – in east Africa. Bighearted charity volunteers have established Nile Ogs GAA Club in Uganda to teach Irish sporting skills to deaf children.

A spokesperson said: “There’s brilliant excitement ahead of the All Ireland with Clare in the final. A group of Clare people - all GAA enthusiasts - are volunteering for a hospice in a place called Jinja, which is an hour and a half from Kampala in Uganda.

“They have set up a GAA club there called Nile Ogs. What is lovely is that they are teaching deaf children in a local special school how to play. The kids are loving it. The setting up of the new club is part of the growth of GAA in Uganda in the last year. The kids are wishing Clare the best for Sunday.”

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Clare has not made it through to the showpiece of the All Ireland hurling championship since 2013. They won it 11 years ago, beating Cork in the replay. Goal hero that day Shane O'Donnell (30), who netted three times in 20 minutes, anticipates another ding-dong clash.

He said yesterday: “It's going to be an extremely difficult battle.” Clare fan John Conroy, who helped to establish the Nile Ogs club in Uganda, has lived and worked there for 19 years. He told the Irish Mirror: “The kids love it. They’re involved up to the age of 16 or 17.

“We are well set up. On Sunday, the volunteers from Clare will meet up in a local bar. It has GAAGo, so we’re going to watch it there. It’s fully stocked. We’ll have bottles, draught, Guinness. It’s a restaurant bar so we’ve all we need, hopefully, to celebrate Clare winning the All Ireland.”

The All Ireland Hurling Final between Clare and Cork is scheduled for this Sunday, July 21, from 3.30pm.

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