Phnom Penh, Cambodia | With Cairde Khmer athletes set to compete in the World Gaelic Games 2023—particularly in Men’s and Women’s Gaelic football—IPS Cambodia, the leading Cambodia real estate agency, expressed its support by funding an athlete who is also a valued employee, Nan Nas alias Nassy. The event will take place from July 24th to July 27th at Owenbeg Derry GAA Centre in Derry, Ireland, bringing together over 2,000 athletes from all over the world.
It was late last year when the Cairde Khmer Cambodia GAA Club was selected to represent Asia on this year’s World Gaelic Games. They will be sending two (all-Cambodian) teams representative of 26 players including Nas.
When Cairde Khmer first started out in 2017, there were very few Cambodian players—in fact, most of the club’s members were Westerners. But as time went on, more and more locals showed up at training sessions and began making up the majority of those attending games. Now, the club is truly a representative of Cambodia itself, and it was evident in the recent Asian Gaelic Games. Held in Malaysia last October, only the Cairde Khmer appeared with an all Cambodian men and women team. “All other countries’ teams were basically Irish expats.”
However, many of the Cairde Khmer players come from low-income families and cannot afford the fees required to participate in an international competition like this. In an interview by Kiripost with the Cairde Khmer chairman, Ronan Sheenan said, “We couldn’t believe they selected us; now it’s time to make the dream work. Excitement is rising by the day. A lot of players don’t come from wealthy backgrounds and this is their first time outside Asia. They might never get the chance to go to Europe."
To support its members, the club has organized a fundraising campaign to Help get Cairde Khmer GAA Club Cambodia to Derry via GoFundMe platform. The aim of this campaign is to raise money for these players so they can partake in this “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity and represent Cambodia on a global level. The club is looking for sponsors and donations from individuals or organizations that can help raise around EUR €70,000 for:
- Travel flight costs for 26 players (approx. EUR €45,000)
- Visa application (approx. EUR €4,000)
- Transportation within Ireland (approx. EUR €1,500)
- Food for 2 teams (approx. EUR €10,500)
Nas, who has been an integral part of IPS since he started in 2020 and a member of Cairde Khmer for almost 5 years, is determined to play for the country, and IPS is equally determined to help make this dream a reality. “As advocates of promoting local and promoting Cambodia, it’s with great pride to support one of our own: a talented local who is about to conquer the world, carrying the flag of Cambodia.” said David Murphy, Managing Director of IPS. “We honor his passion, determination and competitive spirit, which is also what IPS embodies as a brand.“
In sponsoring Nas, IPS also hopes to expand the sports ecosystem and awareness in Cambodia, as well as encourage more people to support any Cambodian activity, whether in the field of sports, music or arts, to further boost the country’s growth and reputation. IPS continues to take on initiatives that help shape Cambodia’s rising sports industry, and create opportunities for present and future local players.
Help Cairde Khmer GAA Club make it to Derry, Ireland! Sponsor the team via GoFundMe campaign or contact below:
+8559 779 76537 (Peter Downey)
secretary.cambodia.asia@gaa.ie
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