This Labor Day Weekend: Seattle's Magnuson Park to host the US GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) Finals, the largest Gaelic sports tournament outside Ireland

Event dates: September 2-4, 2016

2,000 Athletes at Seattle’s Magnuson Park for Labor Day Weekend Irish Sports Tournament

August 19, 2016 (MMD Newswire) — This Labor Day Weekend, from Friday September 2nd to Sunday September 4th, Seattle’s Magnuson Park will host the US GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) Finals, the largest Gaelic sports tournament outside Ireland in 2016. The games will be played on five separate fields at Magnuson Park (6500 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle) starting each day at 8 am with the last game finishing at about 6 pm. Free admission is available to many of the games being played all day on Friday and Saturday while the cost of tickets to view other games is just $10 for the entire day. No charge for children 16 and under. The Friday and Saturday games determine who qualifies for the Finals of each competition which will be played on Sunday afternoon, September 4th.

The US GAA Finals involve almost 100 North American Gaelic sports teams from over 30 cities across the USA, Canada and the Cayman Islands, teams that have qualified to represent their respective city or division as local champions. Over 2,000 male and female athletes will be involved in Seattle, competing in various levels of Gaelic Football, Hurling and Camogie competitions.

Gaelic Football, Hurling and Camogie are the fast-paced, hard-hitting national sports of Ireland, and come with a rich and colorful history. Hurling (and Camogie, the version of hurling played by women) is a ball and stick game that is older than the recorded history of Ireland and has been a distinct Irish pastime for at least 2,000 years. Gaelic football is a distinctive game with similarities to soccer and rugby, but is played with a round ball that can be caught by hand or kicked. There is a historical reference to Gaelic football being played in Ireland in the 1300s but the rules of the game were first codified in 1887. It too is played by both men and women.

These games have passionate followers, with games in Ireland often attracting attendances of more than 80,000. Love of these Gaelic games is also growing outside Ireland with GAA Clubs now on every continent, and over 600 GAA Clubs formally affiliated from outside Ireland.

The US GAA Finals is run by the North American Gaelic Athletic Association and is organized by the local Seattle Gaels GAA Club and the Tacoma Rangers GAA Club, both of which are programs of Seattle’s Irish Heritage Club.

EVENT TIMES & LOCATION: Friday-Sunday, September 2-4: 8 AM – 6 PM Daily, at Seattle’s Magnuson Park

TICKETS: ONE-DAY GENERAL ADMISSION: $10.00. Children 16 and under free!

- To learn more about the individual sports and the Finals, visit seattle2016.com

- For the most up to date information on results, schedules, and more follow USGAA Finals on Facebook at: facebook.com/usgaafinals

CONTACT: Brian White, (206) 734-4550, [email protected].