East Belfast GAA
Role: Creative Direction/Design/Strategy
The Brief.
East Belfast Gaelic Athletic Association, is the first GAA (a traditionally nationalist sport) club in East Belfast (a traditionally unionist region) since before ‘The Troubles’ conflict began. Their goal is to be a cross-community beacon for the region. When the opportunity arose to help develop their identity, I simply couldn’t turn it down.
The Idea.
From speaking to those involved , there was a clear alignment that the crest needed to be much more than just aesthetically pleasing. What was required was an authentic tribute to the area's unique character, one that also clearly communicates the progressive ethos of the club itself.
Inspired by the GAA tradition of crests becoming vessels for visual storytelling; I created a selection of symbols each adding their own 'chapter' to the story.
The crest embodies the “unique character” of East Belfast and the inclusive nature of the club. Among the features are the Iconic Harland and Wolff Cranes known to anyone who’s visited Belfast, a sunrise which symbolises a “new beginning” and plays on the fact that the sun rises in the East. The Red Hand of Ulster, the shamrock and the thistle, represent the different communities coming together, while the waves symbolise the area’s strong connection to the sea.
In the period of 3 months since the launch, the club has seen a great deal success: 6 teams across 4 codes, 750 club members and 12,000 followers on social media as well as appearing on prime time network television across Ireland. Having found the project and it’s response so rewarding, I have continued to help the club with strategic and creative development moving forward.
