FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 7, 2025
Contact:
Naoise Kenny, Consulate General of Ireland
415-392-4214
San Francisco Recreation and Park Department: RPDcommunications@sfgov.org
SAN FRANCISCO—The Consulate General of Ireland, San Francisco, will host “Echoes of the Alley—Golden Gate Handball,” a special handball exhibition on Saturday, Nov. 15 at the public handball courts behind the Big Rec Ball Field in Golden Gate Park, it announced with the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department today.
The event, supported by the Consulate General of Mexico, the Gaelic Athletics Association (GAA), the U.S. Handball Association (USHA), Rec and Park, and local clubs including South End Rowing Club, the Dolphin Club, the United Irish Cultural Center, the Olympic Club and the Golden Gate Handball Club, will celebrate the rich cultural and sporting traditions that have made San Francisco a hub for handball for over a century.
From noon to 5 p.m, spectators can enjoy a full afternoon of matches featuring juniors, novices and top-level players. Among those scheduled to play are Brooklyn native and 26-time national champion, Tracy Davis; one of California’s most promising young women’s players, Nicole Eike; and the Bay Area’s own Coleman McGrath and Erik Torres.
“When waves of Irish immigrants landed in San Francisco in the 1850s onwards, they brought with them their language, culture and sport, including handball. As a result, some of the oldest handball clubs in the country are based here in San Francisco,” said Consul General of Ireland Micheál Smith. “The sport remains popular with the Irish diaspora, as it does with the Latin American community. For this reason, we are delighted to have the support of the Consulate General of Mexico in this endeavour, which will celebrate the cross-cultural connections forged through sport.”
Consul General of Mexico Marco Mena, added: “Sport is a powerful bridge between cultures, capable of bringing diverse communities together around shared values such as respect, collaboration, and team spirit. Mexico joins with great enthusiasm in this celebration of handball to strengthen the bonds of friendship and understanding between Mexico, Ireland, and the City of San Francisco."
That shared history is also reflected in Golden Gate Park itself, which has long served as a gathering place for generations of immigrants — from the Irish workers who helped shape its early landscapes to the Mexican and Latin American communities who have filled it with music, art, and celebration.
“Golden Gate Park continues to be a place where culture, community, and history come together,” said SF Rec and Park General Manager Phil Ginsburg. “This handball exhibition celebrates that legacy by bringing people together to play in one of the city’s most inclusive and storied public spaces.”
San Francisco Fire Department Chief Dean Crispen said: “Handball has been a big part of my life for many years and I am very happy to support this event. I am always amazed at how this sport transcends socio-economic and cultural barriers and brings people of all ages together. The exhibition in Golden Gate Park is a great way to showcase San Francisco’s diverse community of handball players and to generate new interest in the game.”
Conor McDonnell, President of GAA Handball, who will be travelling from Ireland for the event, stated: “Handball is a sport that brings people from all walks of life together and the GAA is proud to support the global handball community in any way it can. With the backing of local clubs, community organisations and the Consulates General of Ireland and Mexico, the Golden Gate Handball event promises to be a special day for all those who believe in celebrating unity through sport.”
All are welcome to attend this free community event on November 15 at the handball courts behind the Big Rec Ball Field in Golden Gate Park.
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