Gaelic Football: Meet the Delaware County Gaels

PHILADELPHIA (FOX 29) - Young athletes in Delaware County are taking to the field to embrace their Irish heritage.

More and more kids are getting involved in Gaelic Football, and the Delaware County Gaels are one of our area's oldest and biggest youth teams.

The Gaels started as a way for boys and girls to learn skills and maintain ties to Irish heritage. Now, the sport is exploding in popularity.

"When I came here it was very much a sport, but only among Irish people and some of their friends. Now, it's really expanded beyond the Irish community because people see it as a strong way to grow other sports," explained Coach John McDaid.

The Gaels season is in the summer, so most kids play other sports. They say it makes them faster, and fit.

One of the Gaels teams will even be taking their skills to Ireland to compete in a tournament.

You can find out more about the Delaware County Gaels on their website.