The roar of sticks and the crack of a sliotar echoed across Burnaby Lake Fields on Saturday, Aug. 8, as the Vancouver Gaelic Athletic Association (VGAA) staged five championship matches in hurling and camogie.
Sport, culture and grass roots
Hurling — described by veteran Irish player and coach Dónal Óg Cusack as Ireland’s “song and our verse” — returned in force to Burnaby’s multi-field complex, drawing teams of Irish ex‑pat players and local supporters to one of Metro Vancouver’s few remaining natural-grass pitches capable of hosting multiple games simultaneously.
Cathal Brennan, the VGAA’s referee co‑ordinator, said most local players are Irish ex‑patriates and that the Association runs leagues across age and skill levels: junior, intermediate and senior men’s hurling, plus junior and senior women’s camogie. The event showcased those pathways, from junior women’s camogie through to senior men’s hurling.
Saturday’s results and what’s next
Sunday’s sunshine accompanied competitive matches that tested speed and stickwork — a reminder that hurling, played with a flattened wooden hurley and a hard ball called a sliotar, is one of the world’s oldest field sports. Scoring in hurling combines goals (three points) and over‑the‑bar scores (one point), and goalkeepers at each end defended large, soccer‑sized nets.
- Event date: Saturday, Aug. 8
- Venue: Burnaby Lake Fields
- Organiser: Vancouver Gaelic Athletic Association (VGAA), founded 1974
- Next Gaelic football finals at Burnaby Lake: Aug. 22
"The sport is Ireland’s ‘song and our verse,'"
The VGAA posted winners across five divisions. Teams from Cú Chulainn and JP Ryan’s were prominent among the champions, reflecting a competitive club scene that carries Irish sporting traditions into the West Coast community.
| Division | Champion |
|---|---|
| Junior women’s camogie | Wolfe Tones |
| Junior men’s hurling | Cú Chulainn |
| Intermediate men’s hurling | Cú Chulainn |
| Senior women’s camogie | JP Ryan’s |
| Senior men’s hurling | Cú Chulainn |
Burnaby Lake’s role in Metro Vancouver Gaelic sport
Organisers say Burnaby Lake has become what Brennan calls "Ground Zero" for Gaelic sports in Metro Vancouver because it retains multiple natural grass fields — a scarcity in the region as urban growth and maintenance costs squeeze municipal open spaces. Those fields allowed the VGAA to run several championship matches in one day, an important logistical advantage for a sport that requires a large playing surface and space for sidelines and spectators.
Photographer Mario Bartel captured action from the senior men’s final and other matches, providing images that illustrated the speed and physicality of hurling: players contesting possession, goalkeepers defending expansive nets and sideline teams cheering on clubmates. The VGAA will return to Burnaby Lake for the Gaelic football finals scheduled for Aug. 22.
For Burnaby residents, the championships emphasised two local truths: the city’s parks continue to support diverse cultural and recreational activities, and preserving large natural‑grass fields remains vital for community sport. As Metro Vancouver’s recreational landscape changes, events such as the VGAA championships illustrate how municipal amenities are used to sustain cultural connection, athletic development and neighbourhood life.
Local sports fans and those curious about traditional Irish games can expect another weekend of Gaelic football at Burnaby Lake later this month, when clubs will compete for regional honours and the park will again host a gathering of players and supporters from across the region.
