Flaherty brings passion for GAA from Roscommon to Rome

This week, over 100 teams from across the globe have descended on County Waterford to take part in the fourth edition of the World GAA Games.

Around 2,000 players are competing for international glory in football, hurling, camogie and rounders at the SETU Area, Carriganore. 

One of those players, Aaron Flaherty — who is currently based in Rome — hails from Knockroghery and represented the Italian team competing at the games.

The Italian team was made up of players from Flaherty’s adopted club Rome Hibernia GAA and their main rivals Milan GAA, whom he’s thankful to be on the same side as. 

He helped the Italian team reach the final of the Division 3 Cup competition where they lost out to Zambia.

Flaherty played football for St. Ciaran’s when he was younger. He kept hurling for Tremane when he moved to Knockcroghery with his family.

It is a busy period for the radiography student who has final exams coming up in October. He outlined what initially brought him to study the historic Italian city.

“It was kind of a spur of the moment thing. I was just looking at courses all around, like England, Ireland, of course. I got accepted into this university before I even sat the Leaving Cert and I thought, look, why not? Three years in Rome isn't too bad.” 

The former Roscommon Community College student got involved with the Rome Hibernia GAA Club after the Christmas of his first semester and he described the experience as “a home away from home.” 

“It was brilliant at first. I decided not to play the first three months to get through exams and since I’ve joined it’s as much for off the pitch as it is for on it.

“You get to know people and you find the Irish of course. I’ll go out drinking and talking and then you speak to Italians and they’ll bring you to a place you’ve never seen before.” 

Interestingly, Rome Hibernia was made up mostly of Italian players who picked up football mainly through their own studies in Ireland, and Flaherty has been impressed by the dedication they show to the sport.

“Seeing the progression from when I started to our Italian players now is unreal. Seán Walsh from Kerry came over and coached us for two years and he’s got them playing great football,” he highlighted.

“I think our Irish lads really struggle to keep up with them at this stage!” 

In the Kerry coach’s absence, Flaherty has taken over some coaching responsibilities — something he looks forward to doing when he returns home.

“It has been a good opportunity to see how a club runs. When you’re a young player at home you don’t see how everything is organised in the background.

“Over here, we have to do it ourselves and chip in. I loved coaching over here, so I might see if I can pick that up when I go home.”