Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Brian O'Neill column.(Column)

Byline: Brian O'Neill

July 14--Johnny Connolly is half-joking when he says the collapse of the Irish economy has been very good for Gaelic football in America.

The coach of the Pittsburgh Celtics laughs when he says it, but there's a long list of lads who have crossed the pond this summer to play the ancient game here. The Gaelic Athletic Association website shows that hundreds of young ballplayers from all over Ireland have transferred to teams in New York, Boston, San Francisco and Chicago, with a sprinkling coming to Pittsburgh as well. Eleven young Irishmen have joined 17 Americans on the Pittsburgh Celtics. They were practicing on the Bishop Canevin High School field in Crafton on Tuesday night, dealing with …