User:Dr. MacGerald/sandbox

The Earls of Leuven.

The Earls of Leuven is a Gaelic Games Club in Leuven, Belgium. The club was officially affiliated in December 2015. This was the first GAA club in Europe, that was fully established and run by full-time students. The club has seen continuous growth every year since its formation, so much so that the world-renowned university in the city KU Leuven, has added it to the sports offered at the University.

Club activities have been featured in multiple national news articles in Belgium. The most prominent and historic event organised by the Earls of Leuven, is the European Collegiate Games. This was the first GAA event for a Collegiate team in mainland Europe (excluding Ireland & the UK). This event has been hosted in Leuven ever since the first edition in 2021.

In 2024, The Earls of Leuven broke a record in their local league in the Benelux, by bringing the largest squad to a Benelux tournament. The Benelux tournaments contain clubs from all the biggest cities around Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

The Earls of Leuven have a central meeting point in Leuven, making them the first GAA club in mainland Europe with some property named in their honor. The Earl of Leuven Park is close to the famous Old Market in Leuven's very center.

https://www.gaa.ie/football/news/inaugural-european-collegiate-games-a-big-hit

https://www.kuleuven.be/sport/aanbod/beweegsessies/team/gaelicfootball

https://www.leitrimobserver.ie/news/gaelic-games/212573/flying-the-leitrim-flag-in-europe.html

https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2022/04/02/rugby-met-voetbalgoalen-leuven-ontdekt-gaelic-football/