Gaelic Games Added to this Year's World Police and Fire Games

NELSON MCCAUSLAND Northern Ireland Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure from Belfast with John O'Flynn of the Irish Sporting and Social Club of Vancouver at the World Police and Fire Games.

THE CYR FAMILY enjoying the World Police and Fire Games - Nuala and Chris with their children John and Molly.

REFEREEING at the GAA games held as part of the World Police and Fire Games in Burnaby. (L-R) Mick Hurley of the Burnaby Fire Department with his two brothers Niall and Fergal who were visiting from Co. Derry, and also working at the World Police and Fire Games.

VOLUNTEERS with the Irish Sporting and Social Club of Vancouver who turned out to serve as tournament officials for the tournament.

KELLI GLASS had the honour of carrying the Ireland banner during the opening ceremonies for the World Fire and Police Games at GM Place in Vancouver on July 31. (Kelli is the daughter of Pam Glass who is very well-known in the Irish community of Lower Mainland.

MEMBERS of the Northern Ireland team.

THE NEW YORK FIRE Department team wearing the winning gold medals.

RONAN DEANE served as co-ordinator the GAA tournament at the World Police & Fire Games.

By JOHN O'FLYNN

BURNABY - Gaelic football teams from Australia's New South Wales East, New South Wales West, Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Services, and the New York Fire Department competed at Burnaby Lake Sports Complex in British Columbia on August 1.

Congratulations to Western Canadian Divisional Board Chairman Ronan Deane who served as the co-ordinator of this first-ever tournament to be held at the World Police and Fire Games. Special thanks also to members of the Vancouver Irish Sporting and Social Club who served as tournament officials throughout the day.

New York went on to slip by Northern Ireland in the 7's final 2-3 to 2-2 for the gold medals, while bronze medals were carried home to Australia by New South Wales West.

Special guests from Northern Ireland were Nelson McCausland (North Belfast), Northern Ireland's Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure; Deputy Secretary Edgar Jardine; and Olympian Mary Peters, who won the 1972 Gold Medal in the Pentathlon at Munich.

Minister McCausland was presented with a copy of The History of the Gaelic Athletic Association in Canada by the Canadian County Board of the GAA as a lasting memento of his visit to Vancouver.

The 2013 World Police and Fire Games will be staged in Belfast after the 2011 Games in New York.