GAA in Chile: Meet Bainisteoir Paddy Coary
The GAA has been an integral part of Irish culture since its inception in 1884 but is the spirit of our national games is reaching new bounds through the Irish diaspora around the world. One such ambassador for Irish sport is Paddy Coary, who lives in Santiago in Chile. Originally from Tyrone, Coary moved to Santiago with his Chilean wife after years in Australia.
Paddy Coary and Los Andes de Santiago
Paddy Coary is Bainisteoir [manager] and founding member of Chile’s first Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club, Los Andes de Santiago. Founded in late 2024, the club has quickly come to be the heart of the Irish community in Santiago.
The club, featuring a mix of Irish people, other expats, and Chilean women and men, seeks to promote Gaelic Games in Chile and develop a strong community network. The club trains weekly with Coary against the dramatic backdrop of the Andes mountain range, to which the club takes its name.
His connection to his home county Tyrone and having played GAA in Australia for many years prior to his move to Chile, he has great GAA experience both in Ireland and abroad.
“The GAA is a brilliant way of kind of integrating yourself into a new place. There were people that I had something in common with and we were working towards a kind of common goal and then you form your friendships from there.”
Paddy’s efforts have been central in establishing the club in Chile. Paddy is committed to cultivating community and promoting Gaelic Games in Chile..
“It's a very special organisation and I think the best sport in the world. So hopefully it grows and grows from here,” he says.