How many GAA clubs can boast a man that was one of the strongest players in FIFA ’15?
Not many can, but Columbus Gaelic Football club in Ohio can, as they can count MLS player Adam Bedell (Columbus Crew, Orlando City) amongst their ranks.
Formed in 2011, 2016 was Columbus Gaelic Football club’s first competitive season and they’ve managed to make it to the National Championships in Seattle for the first time in their history.
We caught up with club captain Ciaran Fairman recently and when he circulated a questionnaire amongst the dressing room, the answers that came back were interesting to say the least.
Needless to say, opposition players will need to be on their guard when the Columbus ‘keeper is on the rampage.
As a relatively new club, Columbus have set up a gofundme page in an effort to raise some cash to keep themselves up and running and all support is appreciated. You can check it out here.
Focus on Columbus Gaelic Football Club
Club: Columbus Gaelic Football Club
Year established: 2011 (2016 is our first competitive year)
Number of members: 58
Biggest rivals: Cincinatti, Ohio.
Biggest representation from a club/county in Ireland: Three Irish lads from Donegal, Down and Dublin, respectively. Quite a few with lineage from Mayo.
Most famous ever member: Standing at 6 foot and 7 inches, Adam Bedell is a former professional soccer player with stints in the MLS with Columbus Crew and Orlando City, along with HB Køge in Denmark.
He also had one of highest strength ratings in FIFA ’15 with a whopping 93.
Most memorable moment in the club’s history: Winning the Junior C Midwest Tournament in the club’s first competitive year and advancing to the National Championships.
Player who makes the longest commute to training: Shane Van Bibber makes a two-hour round trip, regardless of whether training is at 6am or 6pm. At 42 years of age, it screams dedication.
Most dedicated club person: It would have to go to Sean “ten minutes” Russell. Always early to training, always first in drills. Always the hype man.
Player who could have made it big if love/career/drink didn’t get in the way: It would have to be our club captain, Ciaran Fairman.
There are still quite a few members (Paddy Hughes springs to mind) of St. Finian’s GAA Club in Dublin who reckon he’d be setting Croke Park alight with his enigmatic and powerful displays of athleticism and skill were it not for the curse of emigration.
Of course, no one thinks this more than the man himself.
Biggest character: It has to be Danny O’ Connor, the team maor uisce. The club needed a dig out towards the end of the season to help manage substitutions. The final whistle had barely blown after his first game and he was already requesting a Bainisteoir shirt, embroidered with his initials.
He has also referenced himself as a cross between Pat Gilroy and Pep Guardiola.
Loudest in the dressing room: Ciaran Fairman. The loudest in the dressing room, the loudest in the library; this fella loves the sound of his own voice.
Number of romances that started in the GAA club (feel free to name names): The biggest one would have to be the bromance between Declan (Donegal) and Ciaran (Dublin), the club’s player/managers.
Enemies in Ireland, inseparable in the States; their intense chemistry was apparent from their first training session together. Declan even admits that Ciaran has got the better accent.
Duck to water award – Best new player who had never played GAA before: It would have to be a split between one of the following two:
Up first is Adam “stretch” Bedell, standing at 6’7”.
This former professional soccer player would make Kieran Donaghy look bang average.
The other would be Austin “The Shocker” Peterjohn. This cool, composed finisher transitioned from soccer seamlessly and has easily been one of our best players all season. He also has phenomenal biceps.
Best story involving a club member that’s fit for print: The men’s team were playing away to rivals Cincinatti in a nerve-racking, must-win game that would define the course of the season.
With 15 minutes to go, the game was poised on a knife-edge with Columbus fighting tooth and nail to claw their way back from a deficit of a few points.
Cincinatti’s half-forward was bursting down the wing in an attempt to scoop a loose ball when, in what can only be described as a moment of pure madness, our goalkeeper sprinted out 60 yards (past three defenders in the process) to jump and land a sweeping dropkick Conor McGregor would be proud of.
Needless to say Columbus did not claw their way back to victory. Rumour has it Cincinatti’s half-forward is still looking for the rest of his leg.
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