Top Southside GAA teams line up for a Kerry football battle

DUBLIN will be well represented at the 30th anniversary of a legendary football festival taking place in Co Kerry next month.

The Lidl Comórtas Peile Páidi Ó Sé 2019 will see 44 adult men’s and ladies club teams descending on the rugged Dingle Peninsula from February 15 to 17.

There will also be some big names from Dublin ladies football including 2018 Comórtas champions Ballyboden St Enda’s as well as Tallaght’s Thomas Davis who will compete against Cavan’s Mullahoran and Templeport.

Another Tallaght side, St Anne’s, will compete in the intermediate men’s competition which has the biggest mix of county representation including Kerry’s Annascaul GAA, and Lispole GAA, as well as Dunmore Machales from Galway.

 Ballyboden’s Ladies B team are also travelling to West Kerry to compete in the Junior competition and are up against a distinctly overseas group with Tralee club John Mitchell’s, Dingle Ladies, Glen Rovers GAA, Watford, London clubs Kingdom Gaels, Tír Chonaill Gaels and Round Towers as well as Clonaslee St Manmans of Laois all taking part.

 The football festival, which is supported by Lidl Ireland, EJ Menswear.com, Kerry County Council Tourism Unit and Lee Strand Milk, was officially launched at an event last week by former Kerry great, Kieran Donaghy, and Dublin ladies star and holder of three senior All-Irelands, Lyndsey Davey.

 The festival, founded by Kerry iconic footballer Páidi Ó Sé, has attracted over 15,000 club players over the 30 years and has grown into a major international GAA event with senior, intermediate and junior competitions as well as teams attending cultural and social events at Comórtas HQ, Páidí Ó Sé’s pub in Ventry, Co Kerry.

The football festival will also host nightly free music and entertainment which is open to the general public and a Saturday Night Players Banquet at the Comórtas marquee, also at Ventry 

Comórtas Chairman Pádraig Óg Ó Sé, said: “We are delighted with the response to our 30th anni-versary Comórtas with 17 counties represented, the largest number in our history. We thank our UK GAA friends with five travelling teams and indeed the Dubai Celts who are making the longest journey of all. 

“The support of local host clubs is crucial in ensuring we can maintain such a high number of teams and we thank them for their co-operation.

“Local partners Lee Strand Milk and Kerry County Council Tourism Unit are backing us also to continue with the Comórtas, which has become a big benefit in terms of local tourism.

“We are also delighted that EJMenswear.com of Sligo, who are related to the Ó Sé family as well as Lidl Ireland, are back to help make this event happen.”

Michael Collins, Regional manager, Lidl Ireland, added: "We are delighted to continue our partnership with this year’s Comortas Peile Paidi O Se. Our store teams in Dingle and Tralee are proud to support the Comortas Peile Paidi O Se and we are all looking forward to the festival.”