On Monday, 5th February 2024, Arun Dhananjayan Nair came to training for (possibly) his last session with the Cologne Celtics GAA Club. As the word got around that this would be his last session, his teammates made the extra effort to attend to give him the sendoff he deserved. With a massive turnout on a Monday night, we had a brilliant training session and gave our best wishes to the man himself.
Rewind the clock back a few years… It is late February 2020, and this „Coronavirus“ thing is starting to make headlines as it has reached Italy from China, but we still don’t know how it will change everything. Two weeks before the world shut down, a young lad from India turned up at Cologne Celtics training in the UniSport in Köln Süd – and he would go on to become a club legend.
Late 2019/early 2020 was a promising time for our club, as new people seemed to be emerging from everywhere… Around that time, we recruited Laura, Fabian, Johannes, Kea, Katharina, and Clara, among others – Jan was about to turn up with us as well! – and all these players would end up contributing massively to the development of the Celtics.
Arun is one of the most likeable people you will ever meet. He took to hurling like a duck to water, impressing everyone with his scoring ability. Many of our opponents have commented on our secret weapon surprising them. Arun, you’ll be missed on and off the pitch.
Laura Kennedy, Cologne Celtics Chairperson
The hard work of Stephen, Frank and others at that time to advertise the club and recruit new people was paying off, and it felt like we had new faces at training every single week. More importantly, these were committed members who are still powering the club today. Usually, these new faces were friends of members, had been recruited by other members (sometimes at Bonn Hbf, in the case of Kea) or had some connection to Ireland… but Arun… he just turned up.
Arun Dhananjayan Nair came to us during that time under the impression we were a football/soccer club, and he was looking to make friends and connections in the area. He was over in Germany for work reasons and was based in Leverkusen. At this time, he had never heard of Gaelic football or hurling, and Ireland probably didn’t feature much on his radar with his new life in Germany… However, he quickly adapted to his new surroundings in our club.
I remember that day as one where we had a „huge crowd“ for those days – we had 15/16 players at training in UniSport – (in comparison, at our last session in Bocklemünd, we had closer to 30 players, which shows how the club is developing!) – and I had the job of training the newer players.
Among those new players were Arun and Clara, who had extensive previous experience in cricket and hockey, respectively. It took Arun all of a few minutes to become familiar with the hurley, although he held it in an unusual manner due to his cricket background… and he was soon driving the sliotar 60/70 metres… He was quickly upgraded to play with the more experienced players – and in the training match at the end of the session, he scored two goals, justifying our faith in him!
I think Arun showed up accidentally thinking we were a soccer club but when he arrived there were no footballs as we played hurling that day. He might have been confused but he stayed anyway – and he was so good!! I am glad that I never had to play against him, apart from training matches 😁 He always appears out of nowhere, that is his superpower. Off the pitch I think I can’t recall one moment where he wasn’t smiling – and it is contagious 😁 I wish him all the best!
Katharina Breuer – Cologne Celtics PRO
Boosted by the growing number of players and as preparation for our planned club trip to Cork (which was eventually postponed until October 2022), on March 7th 2020, we had one of our first significant training sessions on the Astroturf pitch in Chorweiler and sure enough, Arun was there as well. Not only could Arun strike sliotars over distances with ease and had fantastic hand-eye coordination from his cricketing background, but he could also fly around the pitch. He effortlessly made a nuisance of himself to whoever was marking him because he was so quick on his feet! That was another session where he made a significant impact.
However, the world shut down a week after that session in Chorweiler. What started as a 4-week pause from GAA action turned into months and months of waiting and frustration… hygiene concepts, „social distancing,“ and all of that – if you think back hard enough, you will remember that time. It was frustrating for all of us, and at our club, we feared that we might lose the momentum we were slowly building up. We worried that players like Arun, who hadn’t grown up with the GAA or had particularly strong connections to Ireland or the sports, might drift away from us once we got back to playing… However, there was no reason to fear!
We’re deeply saddened to see Arun leave. However, it’s heartening to know he’s returning to his family in India. Being far from home and loved ones is tough, so we’re genuinely happy for him on that front. But selfishly, we’re devastated. Arun is an exceptional player. Despite being late for training about 85% of the time, he always gave his best. He never complained or refused any task, whether it was running, changing positions on the field – he’s played midfield, in goal, as a forward, as a back -, or even playing with other teams. He epitomised our club’s values and was an ideal teammate.
His unique hurling style, possibly influenced by his cricket background, made him a formidable opponent, and in tournaments he was always scoring and constantly challenging defenders. His track record speaks volumes about his skill and dedication. Beyond his athletic prowess, Arun was a fantastic presence to have around, a dedicated trainer, and a good friend to many of us. We’ll miss him dearly.
As someone who has trained and trained alongside him for a long time, I can attest to his character and talent. We wish him all the best and hope to cross paths with him again, perhaps even on the field against Kerala GAA. His departure is a significant loss for the club, but we hold onto hope that we’ll see him again in the future.
Frank O’Connor – Cologne Celtics Hurling Officer
Sure enough, when training was allowed again, Arun became a regular. In 2020, he travelled to Maastricht for a football tournament and was at most of the training sessions we were allowed to host – as we couldn’t easily organise matches or tournaments then… However, it appeared he wouldn’t get the chance to play for the Celts in a hurling tournament, as in March 2021, he told us he was returning home to India. At the time, it felt like a great pity that he wouldn’t get the opportunities he deserved to showcase his abilities for our club. However, we were to be pleasantly surprised!
The message came through in the summer of 2022 that Arun was on his way back to Germany and that he hoped his hurley was still available! Sure enough, upon arriving back, he joined up with us again straightaway and didn’t look back. Returning in 2022 meant that Coronavirus-related restrictions were now a thing of the past, and tournaments and matches could start up again. Since then, Arun has played in German Cups and European tournaments in hurling and football. He has represented our club with distinction and featured in our team across pitches in Germany and further afield. Our team will miss his on-field presence.
However, even more than on the pitch, we will miss Arun as a person – our friend. Permanently with a smile on his face, even when getting berated for being late to training again for the umpteenth time… Arun is a beacon of positivity and friendliness, and we have been privileged to have him as a Celt for as long as we have. He was one of the first players to feature on our club website when it was launched with this interview, and he always said how much he appreciated the club. Once we get our „Cologne Celtics: Hall of Fame“ going, Arun will be among the first names to be included.
„I first met Arun during my initial training session in Chorweiler, just before the pandemic hit. From then on, he became a familiar face at almost every session, albeit often arriving a bit late. Arun stood out as one of the warmest and kindest individuals I’ve ever encountered. His perpetual smile and unwavering positivity defined his presence among us as Celtics. He contributed significantly to our club’s feeling, bridging cultures with his presence as an international member alongside German and Irish players.
Although he initially hesitated with the ball in his early hurling days, Arun’s dedication and skill development were remarkable. He embodied the spirit of a great teammate, always present, always eager to play. I recall a moment during training when I encouraged him never to give up, always to fight for the ball. His response, a simple ‚yes, I’ll do it next time,‘ remains etched in my memory.
Over the past year, I often shared a ride home from training with Arun. During these journeys, we discussed how he missed his wife and daughter in India, eagerly awaiting the day he could reunite with them. His passion for cricket, particularly evident during the recent World Championships in India, also enriched our conversations. These moments off the pitch further underscored Arun’s depth as a person.
His absence will be deeply felt. Arun not only excelled as a player but also enriched the lives of those around him. Anyone fortunate enough to spend time in his company should cherish the opportunity, knowing they have gained a remarkable friend and companion.“
Jan Stolle, Hurling Coach
Wherever your path leads from here, Arun, please do not be a stranger. You are always welcome at the Celts – you will always be a Celt – and we hope that this is not the end! Best of luck in the future. Arun abú!
Cologne Celtics 