​Manorhamilton’s Peter Poniard to represent Italy in GAA’s World Games in July

​Leitrim native Peter Poniard will represent Italy in the Open football competition at the 2026 GAA World Games in Waterford this July. The former Leitrim hurler, Peter lined out with both Cluainin Iomaint in hurling and Glencar Manorhamilton GAA club in football and in 2022, he was named Man of the Match in the Leitrim Senior Hurling Championship Final after an outstanding performance for Cluainín Iomáint.

Peter has spent the past two years playing with Rome Hibernia GAA while studying to become a pilot in Rome, graduating earlier this month.

Italy will be sending two teams to the GAA World Games in Waterford this July, competing in both the International category and the Open category (Irish players). The panel is made up of players from both Rome and Milan, representing the growing GAA community here in Italy.

Rome Hibernia GAA caters to men’s and ladies’ Gaelic football, hurling, and camogie, and competes in the Central–East Region of Gaelic Games Europe. The club has gained international recognition, particularly within Irish media, following a historic audience with Pope Francis during which the club presented an O’Neills football as a symbol of heritage and goodwill.

In recent years, the club has participated in a range of exhibitions, demonstrations, and cultural initiatives, including collaborations with the Irish Embassy to the Holy See and Gaelic Games Europe to showcase Gaelic Games during the “Jubilee of Sport” in Rome. In 2025, these efforts included the presentation of a customised Rome Hibernia GAA jersey for the Jubilee to Pope Leo XIV.

The club continues to expand its sporting and cultural presence, with members selected to represent Italy at the 2026 GAA World Games in Waterford. Through its athletic achievements, community programmes, and international outreach, Rome Hibernia GAA stands as a distinguished ambassador for Irish sport and culture in the heart of the Eternal City.