By Michael O'Connor

When the late GAA president Séamus Ó Riain and his committee found the inspiration to create Féile little did this astute group of GAA devotees know that less than half a century later it would become the largest gathering of sportspeople, supporters and Irish people from all over the world for two weekends in June.

When Feile hurling and football was remodelled under the management of Liam O'Neill three years ago it was met with a sense of what will happen to what was known, trusted and expected each year. The new formula was questioned, debated as is the right within the Association, tweaked a little before the end product was unveiled to the world. In three short years Feile na nGael and Feile Peil 2016 saw 496 teams in action. That does not include a huge number of handballers in action at the hurling weekend. Throw into the mix the well organised and perhaps the largest Feile Skills Star competition that was played at the new GAA playing headquarters in Abbottstown in early June.

Every team in Feile has a story unique to their area and club. For example Celbridge from Kildare had the unusual distinction of having a set of triplets and a set of twins playing for the club side, namely the Hancocks and the Dunnes.  Famous ex players, rivalries with neighbouring clubs, new club developments, perhaps a history going back to the creation of the state and beyond. Often the name of the club can give much evidence of how and why they were created. Feile can give to many people who travel the country a sense of perspective of how involved the GAA is in every parish, irrespective of size throughout Ireland.

Perhaps, for most, it is a chance with the new style Feiles to travel the length and breadth of Ireland for clubs that are small in number but big in heart. They get a chance to represent their counties at either National or regional Feiles. This opportunity forces clubs to work hard, fundraise and realise that it is a chance too good not to treat with seriousness. Six months ago would Moyvane from Kerry have expected to host Liffre from France or that Legion would greet New York or many other stories.

One comment that is repeated by every visiting club are the wonderful facilities that are on offer at all host clubs. It is a chance of people who have spent a lifetime honing their club grounds into an example of what best their parish and community can be for all visitors to see. Feile hurling and football is now a huge opportunity for regions to promote the best of their area to outsiders in the hope of creating a returning tourist in the future.

In 2016 Tipperary/Waterford was the hurling centre as Kerry, West Limerick and parts of Cork took on the football. Between the two weekends a quick summation would suggest close on 15000 players and mentors were in action. Support for each side of perhaps 50 per team would add a further 25000 people involved outside of club personnel preparing grounds for games allied  to hundreds of referee's, linesman, umpires in all codes in action and one can sense the magnitude of how big the GAA has allowed Feile hurling and football to develop.

The largest ever John West Feile competition in hurling and football was held in football in the South West region over the weekend. 256 teams in action comprising boys (160) and girls (96). Organisation for such an event begins well over a year prior to the first ball being kicked in anger.

Teams from every county in Ireland, England, Scotland and even France were transported to Limerick, Kerry and Cork. Just over 6000 boys and girls came into the region and this is not considering the seven different venues that were holding regional feiles throughout Ireland in boys and ladies football and in hurling and camogie the week previous. Count in over 1000 mentors and team officials as well as thousands of supporters following the teams and one can begin to imagine the logistical mountain that has to be climbed before the first ball is kicked.

A key reason for the massive appeal that is now apparent with Féile is technology led by the now indispensable mobile phone. With the advent of modern instant technology results, photos and titbits of information are relayed within seconds of the half and full time whistle. It has invigorated the visual display of Feile. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, immediate match reports, radio, Youtube and many other forms of communication can now relay worldwide the scoring of a point in a division 10 shield final. The joy of success, the tears of near misses, the messages of good luck and hard luck for all teams takes over the internet each weekend for those who cannot be at the event keep in touch from afar.

The command centre that controls the running of Féile has evolved with the larger Féiles into a bank of computers with over a dozen plus personnel collecting and relaying to the eagerly awaiting world every titbit and morsel of information. Results are required nearly before the games are played as the movement of team for the knockout games on the Saturday is monumental.

A programme comprising of 324 pages making it the biggest GAA publication of the year and indeed the biggest ever Féile programme produced was created by the South West Féile committee for 2016. School visits in May are the signal that the event is now impacting on the community as the various GAA presidents and local sporting heroes spread the gospel. Clubs begin months in advance a campaign of cleaning up premises, updating equipment, scoreboards and most importantly ensuring that catering for teams is top of the agenda and carried out with military precision.

Each side that travelled from abroad were managed and supported by parents who emigrated in the 1980s and 1990s from an Ireland that was suffering economically and socially yet those who left can be said to be more Irish than the Irish themselves. An example of the operation enacted by clubs who travel to Feile each year would be the New York sides. Last winter, close on 100 boys were in contention for the trip to the South West. They trained throughout the winner, a panel was finalised and close on 100 travelling supporters came with the squad. Some are wondering now could New York in future enter a second side. This is only a sample of how so many squads from outside Ireland were busy reconnecting with their roots. Grandparents meet up with their grandchildren and watch, cheer them play the game of their forefathers perhaps for the first time ever and at the end hug their grandchildren in victory or defeat same at they had decades previous with their own children.

Parades were held in nine different venues on the Saturday evening. Kanturk, Carrigaline, Newcastlewest, Killarney, Tralee, Listowel, Kenmare, Dingle and Cahirciveen. All parades were memorable and extremely well organised but none more so than in Kanturk who hosted 36 teams in boys and ladies football.

On the Sunday morning it was semi final time. By this stage half of the 256 sides are now out of the competition. For 64 teams they would moving on to a Féile final and for 64 sides a case of what could have been. 12 noon and the results are known and 32 cup and shield finals are ready for new owners to take home for a year. When the last ball is kicked, when the last sinew is stretched on behalf of the Féile dream and the final hip hip hooray is targeted to a losing side by 5pm on Sunday evening a look through the result shows the magnitude of where sides come from in the pursuit of Féile glory. 26 different counties in final action between boys and ladies under 14 football is now proof that Feile Peil is along with Féile na nGael a countrywide and indeed international competition that each year creates its own style and identity that is remembered by all who are involved.

Next year Feile Peil and Feile na nGael is already in preplanning as Fermanagh/Cavan and Monaghan host the football with Kilkenny, Wexford and Carlow take on the hurling weekend.

Winners and finalists in John West South West Feile 2016.

BOYS D1 CUP - Castleknock (DUBLIN) 3-6 Termon (DONEGAL) 1-5

BOYS D1 SHIELD - Celbridge (KILDARE) 4-5 Killarney Legion (KERRY) 1-3

BOYS D2 CUP - Castlebar Mitchels (MAYO) 3-10 Killeavy St Moninna (ARMAGH) 0-3

BOYS D2 SHIELD - Padraig Sarseil (ANTRIM) 2-9 Fossa (KERRY) 0-2

BOYS D3 CUP - South London 2-2 Lucan Sarsfields (DUBLIN) 0-6

BOYS D3 SHIELD - Coralstown/Kinnegad (WESTMEATH) 1-4 Castlegregory (KERRY) 1-2

BOYS D4 CUP - Eire-og, Greystones (WICKLOW) 1-8 North London 0-4

BOYS D4 SHIELD - Rathyvilly (CARLOW) 5-6 Buttevant (CORK) 3-7

**BOYS D5 CUP - **St Gabriels (GALWAY) 1-7 Gaultier (WATERFORD) 1-4

**BOYS D5 SHIELD - **Thomas Davis (DUBLIN) 4-12 St Malachys Castledawson (DERRY) 0-2

BOYS D6 CUP - Killygarry (CAVAN) 2-6 Ardfert (KERRY) 2-1

BOYS D6 SHIELD - Brosna/Knock (KERRY) 1-4 Horeswood (WEXFORD) 0-4

BOYS D7 CUP - St Nicholas GFC (WICKLOW) 4-2 Rathmore (KERRY) 1-4

**BOYS D7 SHIELD - **Duarigle Gaels (CORK) 1-8 St Patricks (LIMERICK) 0-2

BOYS D8 CUP - Currow (KERRY) 1-5 Keel/Listry (KERRY) 1-4

BOYS D8 SHIELD - White’s Cross (CORK) 2-4 Cordal/Scartaglin (kERRY) 1-4

BOYS D9 CUP - Enniskillen Gaels (FERMANAGH) 3-4 Fenagh (CARLOW) 1-6

BOYS D9 SHIELD - Abbey Rangers (KILDARE) 5-9 Clondegad (CLARE) 1-1

BOYS D10 CUP - St Patricks (WICKLOW) 4-5 Thomastown (KILKENNY) 2-2

BOYS D10 SHIELD - De La Salle (WATERFORD) 5-6 Ballydonoghue (kERRY) 0-2

GIRLS D1 CUP - Westport laides (MAYO) 0-10 Southern Gaels (KERRY) 2-4 AET - title shared

GIRLS D1 SHIELD - Rathmore (KERRY) 2-10 Passage West (CORK) 3-1

**GIRLS D2 CUP - **Killygarry (CAVAN) 2-4 Kilcullen (KILDARE) 1-3

GIRLS D2 SHIELD - Fethard (TYRONE) 2-3 Laune Rangers (KERRY) 0-7

**GIRLS D3 CUP - **Russell Gaelic Union, Downpatrick (DOWN) 0-4 Cooraclare (CLARE) 0-3

GIRLS D3 SHIELD - Mungret St Pauls (LIMERICK) 4-4 St Ailbhes (LIMERICK) 0-1

GIRLS D4 CUP - Glencar Manorhamilton (LEITRIM) 2-2 Con Magees (ANTRIM) 0-4

GIRLS D4 SHIELD - Tourlestrane (SLIGO) 1-5 Dromcollogher Broadford (LIMERICK) 0-1

GIRLS D5 CUP - Dr Crokes (KERRY) 2-1 Fossa (KERRY) 1-2

**GIRLS D5 SHIELD - **Clontarf (DUBLIN) 3-4 Tír Na nÓg Randalstown (ANTRIM) 3-2

**GIRLS D6 CUP - **Na Gaeil (KERRY) 4-4 Cromane (KERRY) 3-3

**GIRLS D6 SHIELD - **Kingscourt (CAVAN) 2-6 Castlegregory (KERRY) 2-0