Sports in Ireland

• Irish Sports
  • Gaelic Football
  • Hurling
  • Handball
  • Rounders
• Other Sports in Ireland

Irish Sports

The following Irish sports are governed by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA).

Gaelic Football

Irish: Peil Ghaelach; short name Peil or Caid

Commonly referred to as football or Gaelic, Gaelic football is an Irish sport played between two teams of 15 players. Although considered a male only sport, a similar game of Gaelic football is played by women and it is regulated and promoted by the Ladies’ Gaelic Football Association.

The rules are very similar to the Australian Rules football. It is played on a rectangular grass pitch with a goal post at each end. The goal post is like a combination of both the rugby and soccer goal posts. The ball is round and slightly smaller than a soccer ball.

You can hold the ball and run with it for a maximum of four steps, but if you want to run with it for any longer, then you either have to bounce it (but not twice in a row) or kick it back into your hands. Alternately, you can kick it along like a soccer ball. To pass the ball, you can either hit it with your hand or fist, or kick it.

There are two ways of scoring; you can shoot it over the goal posts for one point, or into the soccer like goal post net for three points. The opposition can try and block the ball with their hands or even barge you shoulder to shoulder. As can imagine, it’s an exciting and fast moving game to watch.

Gaelic football is strictly an amateur sport, with players, coaches, and managers prohibited from receiving any form of payment. Although Gaelic football is mainly played on the island of Ireland, there are units of the Association that exist in other areas such as Great Britain and North America.

Hurling

Irish: Iománaíocht/Iomáint

Believed to be the world’s oldest field game, Hurling is an Irish team sport played between two teams of 15 players, or ‘hurlers’. It is governed by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). Although considered a male only sport, a similar game called Camogie is played by women, and it is regulated and promoted by the Ladies’ Gaelic Football Association.

It is played on a rectangular grass pitch with a goal post at each end. The goal post is like a combination of both rugby and soccer goal posts. Players carry a stick, or ‘hurley’. It is similar to a hockey stick, but with a flatter wider curve at the end. The ball, or ‘sliotar’, is like a hockey ball but with raised ridges.

You can catch the ball in the sliotar with your hands and scoop it up with your hurley. You can move the sliotar up the field by kicking it, slapping it with an open palm, or hitting it with your hurley along the ground or into the air (a dangerous move for the players around them because they swing the hurley like a baseball bat!). Alternately, you can carry the sliotar in your hand for a maximum of four steps, or balance or bounce the sliotar on the hurley.

However you can’t:

• Touch the sliotar on the ground with your hands
• Throw the sliotar or hurley
• Play the sliotar from your hand to the hurley more than twice in one possession.

You can use the hurley to block shots, make shoulder to shoulder contact with the person in possession of the sliotar, or the player nearest the sliotar.

There are two ways of scoring; you can either shoot it over the goal posts for one point, or into the soccer like goal post net for three points.

The hurlers wear helmets with a faceguard for protection, but they regularly suffer terrible hand injuries. My jeweller showed me a ring that was specially designed for hurlers. It opened with a hinge because many of them can’t get a wedding ring over their smashed knuckle.

Gaelic Handball

Irish: liathróid láimhe

Known as Handball in Ireland, it’s similar to the American handball. The basic rules of the game are to use your hand to strike the ball to make it hit the front wall and bounce twice before your opponent can return it.

In Ireland, they play four codes of handball. What differentiates these codes is the number of walls on the court, the size of the court, and type of ball that is used. It can be played as singles or doubles.

International Handball Codes

• 40×20 The most popular version ‘Small Alley’ uses a 40x20ft court enclosed with four walls. Players must wear gloves and eye guards as the small rubber ball used can reach speeds of up to 100mph. The season runs from November through to April.
• One-Wall/ Wall ball This code only uses one wall measuring 20x16ft, and can be played both indoor and outdoor. The season runs from May to August.

 

Traditional Irish Handball Codes

• 60×30 Softball Referred to as ‘Big Alley’ or ‘Softball’, it’s played on a 60x30ft court with a larger, bouncier ball. As a result, eye guards and gloves are not required. It is typically played in summer because it was traditionally played outside. The season runs from June to October.
• 60×30 Hardball This code uses the same court size as Softball, but uses a small hard cork and leather ball. As it can travel over 100mph, eye guards and gloves are required. The season runs from May to June.

Rounders

Irish: cluiche corr

Rounders is a popular game amongst Irish school children and it is played at all age levels and also mixed teams. The game is a bat and ball game similar to baseball. It is generally believed that Baseball came from Rounders.

Rounders is played between two teams and there are five innings. One team fields, while the other bats, then they swap over after three outs. No more than nine players can be on the field at one time, but they can make up to three substitutes during play.

On the field are four bases. Points or ‘rounders’ are scored for each circuit that a batter makes without being made ‘out’. Each batter gets three balls bowled to them. The bowler uses an underarm pendulum like motion to bowl. If the ball is considered badly bowled, then it is not counted as their three balls. If they get three bad balls then they can walk freely to the first base.

The batter is out if:

• On the third ball they don’t hit it and the catcher (who stands behind them) catches the ball before it hits the ground
• The bat gets thrown in a dangerous way or while running.
• On the third good ball they hit it into a foul area.
• They deliberately contact a fielder carrying the ball.
• They touch a base that has been ‘tagged’ by a fielder carrying the ball. However, the batter can try to go back to the previous base if it is not already occupied.
• If they try to occupy a base that is already taken by another batter (this excludes first base which they must vacate for the next batter).

This adorable video explains the rules of Rounders.

Learn More About Irish Sports

• Sport and Ireland: A History by Paul Rouse Drawing on a range of resources from government archives, sporting institutions, private collections, and more than sixty local, national, and international newspapers, this book offers a unique insight into the history of the Irish sports.
• The GAA: A People’s History by Paul Rouse, Mike Cronin and Mark Duncan From how and where Gaelic games were played and watched to their impact on Irish communities at home and abroad, politics, women in the GAA, music, and much more, this history sets the GAA experience against that of a changing Irish society. Illustrated with photographs and historical documents.
• The GAA: County by County by Paul Rouse, Mike Cronin and Mark Duncan People and place, sport and identity are at the heart of this book, telling the story of how the GAA has left a unique imprint on every Irish county and Irish community overseas. Organized county by county, the highs and lows of on-field activity are charted and the various forces that have shaped the personality of the GAA across each county are examined. A compelling mix of text, images, and first-hand accounts from participants in the GAA Oral History project.
• The Pocket Book of the GAA: The Official Story of the Gaelic Athletic Association by Tony Potter A fully illustrated history of Ireland’s most famous sporting institution, published in association with the GAA museum in Croke Park. This is a fascinating and colorful introduction to Gaelic games, covering gaelic football, hurling, camogie, and handball. This book covers all the key events in the GAA’s history, as well as biographies of famous players, rolls of honor, county information and the stories behind some of the GAA’s cups and trophies.

Other Sports in Ireland

The Irish enjoy their sport. Golf is very popular and you will find a number of very good golf courses to enjoy. Horse riding is also popular. I recommend attending the annual Dublin Horse Show where you will find all forms of horse riding on display.

With people from all over the world living in Ireland, you can find a club for just about any sport. Joining a local sports team is a great way to meet new people and create new friendships.

Find a sporting club near you:

• Local Sports Clubs – Golden Pages directory
• Your Local Directory
• Student Sport Ireland
• Swim Ireland
• Cycling Ireland
• Sailing
• Irish Rugby
• Athletics Ireland
• Triathlon Ireland
• Motor Sport Ireland
• Canoeing Ireland
• Tennis Ireland
• Rowing Ireland
• Association of Irish Riding Clubs (AIRC)
• Scuba diving
• Walking clubs
• Fencing
• Mountaineering
• Orienteering
• Basketball Ireland
• Hockey