Irish in Calgary

Recession-weary and ambitious Irish citizens have been making Calgary their home in growing numbers in recent years. And it’s with good reason.

Calgary has roles in the construction, trades and engineering sectors, that are the hallmarks of the Irish in Canada. The Irish in Calgary enjoy a quality of life that isn’t always available at home.

Seven time zones from Ireland, the Irish in Calgary have formed a close-knit and supportive expat community.

Here is our short list of useful links and contacts for  the Irish in Calgary. Other links relevant to the whole of Canada can be found here.

If you’re making the move, save yourself time and money by getting your travel insurance (which is mandatory for IEC visas) and resume arranged early. See our guides for more:

• Where to buy travel insurance for Canada
• How to adapt to the resume format in Canada

We also highly recommend you keep up-to-date with the latest immigration news. As anyone will tell you, changes happen regularly that can affect your move.

Useful links for the Irish in Calgary.

– The Irish Cultural Society (ICS) in Calgary is committed to the promotion of Irish cultural activities and preserving Irish culture in Calgary. They offer Irish language classes, family days and concerts, as well as showing GAA games during the summer months.

– The Ireland Alberta Trade Association (IATA) (previously called the Ireland-Canada Centre for Commerce Calgary, which was established in 2010). Provides services and connections in support of bilateral trade between Ireland and Alberta.

– Operated by some of the helpful Irish people in the city, this Irish in Calgary Facebook group is a fantastic resource. It has information for those planning their move to Calgary. It provides a discussion forum for all things of interest to newcomers.

– The Calgary Canadian Irish Athletic Club was founded in 1971 and is open to all. Its focus is on rugby and field hockey, and is represented by both junior and senior, as well as men’s and women’s, teams.

GAA clubs in Calgary.

Calgary Chieftains.

Founded in 1977, the Calgary Chieftans GAA Club is always open to new members. It’s a great way to interact and network with the Irish in Calgary.

Training starts around early May and continues until September. They switch to mixed 7-a-side soccer training and plan to continue until the temperature drops too low (early to mid-October). Training is normally at the Calgary Irish Rugby Club in the northeast of Calgary.

• READ: Find out more about GAA in Calgary.
• WATCH: Canadian TV report on the Calgary Chieftains.

Calgary Fianna GAA.

Club treasurer, Ciara Brady Kelly, sent us the below.

“Céad míle fáilte to our club, Calgary Fianna GAA. We’re passionate about keeping our Irish roots alive and kicking!

“We take pride in teaching our eager kids to enjoy the unique Gaelic Football & Hurling experience. We host weekly training sessions.

“We are proud to welcome children of all ages to participate in our historic sport. We would love you to become part of our enthusiastic team and part of the GAA club story in Canada.”

• Calgary Fianna 

Explore more City of Calgary recreation and sports options here.

Want more help getting settled in Calgary?

Moving2Canada is here to help all those living in Calgary.

• Explore our Moving to Calgary city guide.
• Read our Where to Live in Calgary guide.
• Learn about day-to-day life in our Living in Calgary guide.
• Visit our Outpost Recruitment agency for construction and engineering jobs.

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