The organisers were hoping for a friendly parish atmosphere in an international setting at the eighth Asian Gaelic Games.
Given this, there was a certain irony in the location, the Aberdeen Sports Centre in Hong Kong. China's Peoples Liberation Army uses the police school next door for target practice and firearms training.
There was no mistaking the Irishness of the occasion with Guinness on tap and the Hong Kong police pipe band belting out the national anthem.
Mr John Bannon, who refereed last year's All Ireland final at Croke Park, was sent out by the GAA to officiate and the VIP guest list included Ireland's ambassador to Beijing, Mr Declan Connolly. The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr Tom Kitt, dropped in on his way to Japan and enthusiastic supporters, mostly Irish, swelled the crowd to more than 1,000.
The teams included 300 men and women from Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Bahrain and Dubai. Each has thriving Irish communities - Seoul's Irish population has risen from 84 in 1984 to 1,000 now. This was the first time Hong Kong had hosted the weekend tournament of Gaelic football sevens.
There were more than a few bandaged limbs. "Some of the players are in their 30s and 40s. You wouldn't expect them to be in full fitness, but the standard is very good," said Mr Bannon from Carrigboy, Co Longford.
The Derek Brady Cup, a replica of the Sam Maguire Cup, was won by defending champions Korea A, who faced reasonable resistance from Japan A to win 4-9 to 3-3.
The men were no match for the excitement of the women's cup final between Hong Kong Wan Chai and Japan. With a 1-5 draw at full time, five minutes of extra play produced no score, with Japan finally grabbing a point to win in a sudden death play-off.