What do you know about Gaelic sports? (Pt.1)

In Ireland rugby and soccer are really popular but Gaelic football is a unique experience!

Gaelic football and Hurling, collectively known as Gaelic games, are governed by the Gaelic Athletic Association. The headquarters and main stadium of the GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) are located at Croke Park and all major GAA games are played there, including the semi-finals and finals of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship and All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. All GAA players – even at the highest level – are amateurs, receiving no wages. Gaelic football is the most popular sport in Ireland in terms of match attendance and community involvement and the All-Ireland Football Final is the most watched event in Ireland’s sporting calendar.

Here 10 things you have to know about Gaelic football:      

1-It is played between two teams composed of a goalkeeper, two corner backs, a full back, two wing backs, a centre back, two midfielders, two wing forwards, a centre forward, two corner forwards and a full forward. So, in total there are 15 players on each team.

2-The objective of the sport is to score by passing the ball through the other team’s goals (3 points) or through a set of two upright posts separated by a crossbar 2.5 metres above the ground (1 point).

3-The ball used in Gaelic Football is round, slightly smaller than a soccer ball.

4-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.

5-Gaelic football is the most popular sport in Ireland in terms of attendance: in 2011, the All-Ireland Senior Championship Final -held at Croke Parkin Dublin- drawing an attendance of 82,300 people.

6-Gaelic football is one of the few remaining strictly amateur sports in the world, with players, coaches, and managers prohibited from receiving any form of payment. 

7-County Kerry team is the most winning team of the history of Gaelic Football with 37  Senior Football Championship.

8-A player, who wishes to leave one club to join another in the same county, must apply to the County Board on the official transfer form for a transfer.

9 -With a Yellow Card a player is warned, with a black card a player is sent off and replaced by a substitute and with a red card a player is sent off and not replaced.

10-Croke Park was attacked by the British forces in 1920 during a Gaelic Football match. 14 people were killed and among the dead was Tipperary footballer Michael Hogan for whom the Hogan Stand at Croke Park  was named. This episode is still remembered as Bloody Sunday.

                                                                                                                                       Croke Park

       Next month we’re going to talk about Hurling…stay tuned!!!

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