Gaelic Sports

Gaelic games are sports played in Ireland under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. Gaelic football, hurling, Gaelic handball and rounders are among these.

Gaelic games emerged as a major sport in Ireland at the end of the 18th century and during the 19th century. Today there are over 400 clubs and some 2,000 teams involved in competitions throughout the island.

The traditional Gaelic Games season started in April 2011 and runs from the first weekend of April to October. Since 2016, some competitions were held in June and July. From 2018, the traditional season began in September and ended in mid-April.

In some countries with large populations of Irish people, the term Gaelic Games are also used to describe many other sports involving hurling, Gaelic football, Gaelic handball, and rounders.

The origin of the word “gaelic” is unclear, but is probably of Norse origin, deriving either from the Old Norse word “gal” meaning “race” or from the Old Norse word “giag” meaning “chess”. The early Irish sports were based around a round or oval ball (hurling), with hand-passes being the norm, and players moving clockwise around the circumference of the pitch (the handpass also helping to keep the ball in play for longer).

Gaelic football, originating in the 19th century, is popular among teenagers. GAA teams consist of 15 to 25 players, and typically play 4 continuous halves of 15 minutes (with a 15-minute intermission between halves). An inter-county match is played on a rectangular pitch (36×60 yards), as is the college cup game. Clubs and schools play on an oval or football pitch (100×40 yards). A full-size soccer pitch is 400×150 yards (350×100 yards for the top tier international teams), but may be made smaller (90×60 yards) for clubs and schools. Gaelic handball and rounders are similar sports that evolved from handball and rounders.

The rules for Gaelic sports are codified in a number of books, and a GAA rulebook is published to be used by county boards and county boards of management. However, some of the basic principles of the rules are ancient or folk-etymology. There is generally a large degree of flexibility in the application of the rules. Many of the more traditional sports allow for substitutes and a limited amount of formal dress. While playing the game of hurling it is a common sight to see players wearing a single knee-high sock worn under their jersey; they prefer to call it a “hose sock” and wear it for two reasons; the first is to keep the hoses wet, so that they do not freeze when the weather is cold (which would make their hands cold); the second is so that it will not impede the ball. Hose socks can also be worn for many other sports, such as association football and rugby. The preferred hoses in those sports are wool and black nylon, with bright colours generally being frowned upon. GAA rules allow footballers to wear grey socks. Irish rules allow men’s shirts to be sleeveless and stockings to be worn by female players, and short socks are worn by the Irish national team. The national flag is generally displayed on the jersey, although some counties have chosen to add the coat of arms of the county, such as Kerry. A hurl, used in Gaelic games, is a heavy, high-bounce, leather ball. The ball is approximately 1 to 1.5 feet (30–50 centimetres) in circumference, and weighs around 8 ounces (200 grams). The primary throw with the left, which is a punch or upper cut, and a secondary throw with the right, a grip or cross-check, which is more aimed at the lower ribs, is usually thrown using both hands. The ball is thrown through the air (often using the off arm, as a right-hander), around a short distance, and then, as the catch is made with the main hand, turned vertically into the thrower’s chest, with the right hand grasping the top of the hurl. A hurley is a flat, wooden stick from the end of a staff or stick, around 3 to 7 feet (0.9–2.1 m) long, and around 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick at the end and at the tip. A hurley is generally a small one for beginners, though some clubs are known for using much larger ones. A handpass is a player-pass in Gaelic games. A handpass between the players is thrown by one hand (although not necessarily in a straight line). It should touch both the hand-lengths of the opponents in the passing direction, and they can catch it if the bounce is at an even level. A full pass (which is between the players) requires the hand-lengths be level, but they may bounce vertically. If the ball bounces horizontally, they may not catch it. In the context of Gaelic games, the word “pass” is often used to mean a handpass, with “lift” referring to either the catch or a particular movement of the feet. The basic rule for the handpass is that the player using it must not move his feet while it is being caught, as doing so is illegal and results in the opposing player having the opportunity to make a loose tackle. An advantage is sometimes given to the team which has gained possession of the handpass, such as the right of way in association football, or extra time in a football match. Some players prefer to drop the handpass and run with the ball in order to gain an advantage, and this has sometimes resulted in clashes when opponents try to tackle players who have dropped the pass.