On their Ireland tour which ended yesterday, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge marked a record in history. The couple made it home in time before bedtime, as they reunite with their children, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis and Prince George.
The future King and Queen became the first members of the royal family to ever visit a Gaelic Athletic Association club, gamely taking part in Gaelic football training drills and a hurling shoot out with young members of the Salthill and Knocknacarra club- a gesture that was seen as hugely symbolic given the GAA’s traditionally staunch Republican membership.
Club secretary Conor McGauran said: “Symbolically it’s a massive deal for us. The royals have never set foot in a GAA Club before. They’re doing it in our club in Galway and in Salthill and Knocknacarra today. It’s hugely emotional for us. It’s history being made. Plain and simple. People have been in Croke Park before but they’ve never been in a GAA club before and I think it’s a massive indication from the royal family about their hopes and intentions to connect even further with the community of Ireland, not just parts of Ireland or the hierarchy. This is more than just symbolic, this is them playing our national sport, this is them getting involved in a community-based organisation that’s completely run by volunteerism, so to me it’s a huge message of support for Irish-British relations.”
The couple will return the UK as they prepare to attend the commonwealth service on March 9 alongside the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Charles and the Queen.
