Main pic – Pictured on the banks of the River Seine: from left to right – Conor Pelan, Cécile Forin, Fiontan Campbell, Oscar Chadanet and Julie Lepitre (Chairperson)
County Antrim based transport firm HANNON Transport has announced an exciting 3-year sponsorship deal of Paris Gaels GAA, one of mainland Europe’s most successful Gaelic games clubs.
The three-year deal will see HANNON Transport become the exclusive shirt sponsor of all men’s and ladies’ teams including football, hurling, camogie and handball with new home and away jerseys and sports equipment.
Paris Gaels GAA was established in 1995 and was the first club in Continental Europe to be affiliated with the GAA. The club is mostly made up of Irish ex-pats from the business community in Paris, but it has also attracted its fair share of Parisian locals.
Headquartered in Aghalee, HANNON Transport has bases in both Dublin and Rotterdam. The company opened its second mainland Europe hub in Rungis International Food Market just south of Paris in April 2020.
Commenting on the new sponsorship deal, Aodh Hannon, owner and Managing Director of HANNON Transport, said “Over the past 18 years we have been official sponsors of St Mary’s Aghagallon GAA Club in County Antrim. We are delighted to take the next step from local GAA sponsorship to the European continent and look forward to working with Paris Gaels GAA over the next three years supporting the further development of Gaelic Games in Paris.”
Aodh added jokingly “We specialise in transporting the very best of Irish fresh produce to Europe and are more than happy to now help export Gaelic games as well”.
HANNON Transport’s young business graduate, Fiontan Campbell, who recently relocated from Aghalee to take up his role in the company’s Paris hub also plays for the Paris Gaels so there is already a strong connection and relationship building between the company, the team and the wider Irish GAA and business community in Paris.
Paris Gaels PRO (Shane Harrison) said, “We are delighted to enter into this sponsorship agreement with HANNON Transport. Paris Gaels is one of the largest GAA clubs on the continent in terms of active playing and non-playing members. This partnership represents a huge step forward for us as we look to grow the club and Gaelic Games in Paris while also maintaining our strong links with the Irish community and Irish businesses. Covid has significantly affected GAA, so we are really looking forward to getting back out on the pitch and playing in our new jerseys sponsored by HANNON Transport”.
