BY MATTHEW WILSON
THE St Eunan’s senior ladies team are packing their bags ahead of an exciting trip to Dubai to participate in Donegal Dubai’s nine-a-side tournament this weekend.
A group of 39 from the Letterkenny club are heading to Dublin Airport today to jet off to the Middle Eastern city, with Glenfin also making the journey for the eight-team competition.
St Eunans’ Catherine Fletcher is one of the players heading away and she expressed that there’s huge excitement amongst the group ahead of the trip.
“We’re so excited about the opportunity to travel to Dubai in the first place. To get to play all of the teams out there, it’s just going to be an amazing opportunity.
“We then have a couple of days that we can do a bit of sightseeing and that. It’s just an unbelievable opportunity for us and we’re just so excited.”
This is the first time that Donegal clubs will make the journey to the United Arab Emirates for a tournament, with a local connection having a big part to play in the invitation.
Conor Gibbons is associated with the club and helped to set up Donegal Dubai when he moved out there a number of years ago and decided to get Donegal side’s involved in their own competition.
“Conor Gibbons, a St Eunan’s man, has been out there for around six years and he helped to set up Donegal Dubai. They do tournaments all of the time out with the Middle East GAA and he thought when he was setting up the Donegal Dubai one that he’d invite a few teams from Donegal.
“Sean McFadden, who lived out in Dubai for five years, is involved with St Eunan’s and his daughter plays with us. It’s just an unbelievable opportunity to get invited out and it could be something that other teams could get involved in next time.
“It’s not that you could probably do every year, there’s a lot of money involved but at the same time it’s just a huge opportunity that we couldn’t miss.”
This experience will be a special one for Fletcher for a number of reasons but particularly due to her making the trip alongside her daughter. The pair are set to take to the field together in Dubai which will be a brilliant memory to have.
“Myself and my daughter are going and Nicola Harris and her daughter are going. We’re all playing together so it’s an exciting experience to play with your daughter as well.”
Lifelong memories are created amongst a sports team through the years and this trip will certainly be one that the St Eunan’s ladies will never forget.
Visiting Dubai is something that Catherine never thought was going to be possible however, she’s now getting to go alongside her daughter and her teammates which she can’t wait for.
“That’s it, even just travelling together and the craic that we’ll have. McCafferty’s are sponsoring the tournament and they’re holding a night for us all on Saturday. They’re being very good to us and being very generous, putting on buses and sponsoring the trophy.
“You have that link with Donegal as well, it’s great to see someone from Donegal doing really well and giving back through the GAA. It’s brilliant to be associated with them and they’re the biggest Irish Bar in the world so to get the chance to go to that is huge as well.
“Dubai is an amazing city, I never thought I’d get the chance to go. To get to go with my daughter and my football team, I’m just really looking forward to it.
