Former Mayo GAA star Willie Joe Padden will officially launch the 2013 Mayo GAA Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta tournament this coming Thursday, February 28th in Teach John Joe in Eachléim in Erris. The prestigious GAA competition for the Mayo Gaeltacht clubs is set to played in at the new CLG Bhéal an Mhuirthead GAA grounds in North Mayo on the weekend of March 9th and 10th this year.
Speaking about the Comórtas competition Padden stated that the competition is one of the most important club tournaments in the country and that he was looking forward to the Mayo finals in Belmullet.
"Over the years, Mayo intercounty players like Chris Barrett, Colm Cafferkey, Mikey Sweeney and Fintan Ruddy have gone from the Comórtas Peile finals straight onto the Mayo senior county panel. The Comórtas brings out the very best in club footballers and I hope it is a similar situation during this year’s Mayo finals in Belmullet," Padden said.
Chairperson of the Mayo Comórtas Peile competition Piaras Ó Raghallaigh stated that the commitment of the Gaeltacht clubs to the Comórtas tournament over the past five year was phenomenal. "The Mayo Gaeltacht clubs look forward to this competition every year as it is very competitive and keenly contested. Tá na clubanna Gaeltachta anseo i Maigh Eo an láidir faoi láthair. Tá Acaill, Tuar Mhic Éadaigh, Béal a’ Mhuirthead, Cill tSeadhna, Cill Chomáin agus Baile an Chaisil ag déanamh go maith agus is iontach an rud é go bhfuil an comórtas seo ann. Tá CLG Mhaigh Eo go mór taobh thiar den Chomórtas seo agus tá súil againn go mbeidh an-dheireadh seachtaine againn i dTuaisceart Mhaigh Eo,” a deir sé.
O’Raghallaigh went on to say that “We need to continue to build on the success of Mayo Gaeltacht clubs in recent years at the national finals and we must travel to the Waterford Gaeltacht of An Rinn for the national finals with committed junior and senior champions from Mayo,” he said.
Cathaoirleach of CLG Bhéal an Mhuirthead John Gallagher said the club were delighted to be hosting the Mayo Comórtas finals this year. “It is a great honour to welcome all the other Mayo Gaeltacht Clubs to Belmullet and I know they will get a ‘céad míle fáilte’ from everyone. Belmullet is the only Mayo club to have won the National Comórtas finals and we will certainly be rolling out the red carpet for the visiting clubs,” he said.