About Irish Sports

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Gaelic Football can be described as a mixture of soccer and rugby, although it predates both of those games. It is a field game which has developed as a distinct game similar to the progression of Australian Rules. Indeed it is thought that Australian Rules evolved from Gaelic Football through the many thousands who were either deported or emigrated to Australia from the middle of the nineteenth century. Gaelic Football is normally played on a pitch (playing field) approximately 137m long (150 yards) and 82m wide (90 yards).

The goalposts are the same shape as on a rugby pitch, with the crossbar lower than a rugby one and slightly higher than a soccer one. The ball used in Gaelic Football is round, slightly smaller than a soccer ball. It can be carried in the hand for a distance of four steps and can be kicked or "hand-passed", a striking motion with the hand or fist (similar to serving in volleyball). After every four steps the ball must be either bounced or "solo-ed", an action of dropping the ball onto the foot and kicking it back into the hand. You may not bounce the ball twice in a row. To score, you put the ball over the crossbar by foot or hand / fist for one point or under the crossbar and into the net by foot or hand / fist in certain circumstances for a goal, the latter being the equivalent of three points.

Each team consists of fifteen players, lining out as follows: One goalkeeper, three full-backs, three half-backs, two midfielders, three half-forwards and three full-forwards.

Goalkeepers may not be physically challenged while inside their own small parallelogram, but players may harass them into playing a bad pass, or block an attempted pass.

Teams are allowed a maximum of five substitutes in a game. Players may switch positions on the field of play as much as they wish but this is usually on the instructions of team officials. Officials for a game comprise of a referee, two linesmen (to indicate when the ball leaves the field of play at the side and to mark '45'' free kicks and 4 umpires (to signal scores, assist the referee in controlling the games, and to assist linesmen in positioning '45' frees).

A goal is signalled by raising a green flag, placed to the left of the goal. A point is signalled by raising a white flag, placed to the right of goal. A '45'/'65' is signalled by the umpire raising his/her outside arm. A 'square ball', when a player scores having arrived in the 'square' prior to receiving the ball, is signalled by pointing at the small parallelogram.

Hurling is a game similar to hockey, in that it is played with a small ball and a curved wooden stick. It is Europe's oldest field game. When the Celts came to Ireland, as the last ice age was receding, they brought with them a unique culture, their own language, music, script and unique pastimes. One of these pastimes was a game now called hurling. It features in Irish folklore to illustrate the deeds of heroic mystical figures and it is chronicled as a distinct Irish pastime for at least 2,000 years.

The stick, or "hurley" (called camán in Irish) is curved outwards at the end, to provide the striking surface. The ball or "sliothar" is similar in size to a hockey ball but has raised ridges. Hurling is played on a pitch approximately 137m long and 82m wide. The goalposts are the same shape as on a rugby pitch, with the crossbar lower than a rugby one and slightly higher than a soccer one.

You may strike the ball on the ground, or in the air. Unlike hockey, you may pick up the ball with your hurley and carry it for not more than four steps in the hand. After those steps you may bounce the ball on the hurley and back to the hand, but you are forbidden to catch the ball more than twice. To get around this, one of the skills is running with the ball balanced on the hurley To score, you put the ball over the crossbar with the hurley or under the crossbar and into the net by the hurley for a goal, the latter being the equivalent of three points. Each team consists of fifteen players, lining out as follows: 1 goalkeeper, three full-backs, three half-backs, two midfielders, three half-forwards and three full-forwards.

Camogie During the late 1880's an epidemic wave of nationalism gripped Ireland. The foundation of the Gaelic League around this time heralded the dawning of a new departure as Irish men women alike influenced by a spirit of resurgence sought to establish a unique culture of their own, of which they could be proud of and of which couldn't be copied by any other nation.

It was a situation of the Irish yearning to be even more Irish. The people wanted to be able to boast an identity, which was prestigious and valuable, and then, motivated by an abundance of vigour a renaissance of sorts commenced.

Enthusiasm for Irish games, language and song began to flow with passion from coast to coast. Encouraged by this renewed idealism the GAA came into being giving formal expression to centuries of tradition in the realm of Irish games and pastimes.

Following the footsteps of their male counterparts the ladies freed themselves of the shackles of an age which frowned upon the active participation of women in sport to add a new dimension to an Irish Ireland - the game of Camogie. Camogie is best discribed as the Women's version of the Men's sport of Hurling.

Camogie had it's official start in 1904 with the first public match between Craobh a’Cheithnigh and Cúchulainn on July 17th at a Gaelic League Fair in County Meath.

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Rounders is one of the four official GAA sports. Along with Gaelic Football, Hurling and Handball, Rounders was included in the original GAA charter back in 1884.

Rounders is a bat and ball game and is not that dis-similar to baseball. Indeed it is now generally accepted that Baseball is derived from Rounders in some form or other, as it has been played in this islands for a couple of hundred years now and was probably brought over to America by the early settlers.

Rounders can and is played by all age groups, from National school children all the way up to and including senior level. There are also mixed teams, and both boys and girls, men and women can play on the same team. As Rounders is a limited contact sport it is perfect for both recreational and competitive play. It also draws on a different set of skills than the conventional GAA games and is very good for developing hand eye coordination.

Rounders is played all over the country and is strongest in counties Carlow, Cavan, Derry, Dublin, Laois, Limerick, Mayo, Monaghan and Wexford. It is played extensively in Nationals Schools and is also one of the sports promoted by The Community Games.

Road Bowling Played with a 28 oz steel ball on roads the windier or hilly the better. The bowler throws the ball down the road in hopes of it staying on the road or as close as possible. The least number of throws on a set distance wins. Some bowlers are known to be able to get their "bowls" to twist with the road and travel a great distance . Active road Bowling leagues are in Counties Armagh and Cork in Ireland. In the United States , West Virginia, New York and Boston, MA.

 

 

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