Gaelic games

In today’s post I’m going to talk about two of the most ancient and most popular sports in Ireland:  Gaelic football and Hurling.

GAELIC FOOTBALL:

-What it is:

 A fast-paced field game which could be described as a mixture of soccer, basketball and rugby.   

                                                                                                     

-How to play:

There are fifteen players on each team. Each game lasts 1 hour and is split in two 30- minute halves.  The ball that is used is rounder and heavier than the one used for soccer. While moving around the field, the ball must be passed by dropping the ball onto your foot and kicking it back into your hand or bouncing it every 4 steps. A goal is scored when the ball goes past the goalkeeper and into the net. Each goal is worth 3 points. The game is rough but no helmets or other protective items are worn and injures are common. Technical faults are typically penalized by  free kick. It takes determination and practice to become a skilled Gaelic football player. Once mastering the various moves the players must not only be quick on their feet but also mentally agile.

Competitions are held every year between different counties. The most important ones are:

·        National Football League

·        All-Ireland Football Championship

You may want to know that Seville, our hometown, has got a Gaelic Football team called:   Eire Og Seville

Here’s a video which shows you the basic Gaelic football rules:

HURLING:

-What it is:

Hurling (or Iomáint for the Irish), is a sport played with a stick (camáin) and a ball (sliotar).Unlike Gaelic football, the players wear a helmet. It is similar to baseball, field hockey or lacrosse, and  is considered to be one of the fastest and most skillful games in the world.                                                              

-How to play:

Each team consists of 15 players and include: 1 goalkeeper, 3 full-backs, 3 half-backs, 2 midfielders, 3 half-forwards and 3 full-forwards. Hurling players can carry and catch the ball using their hands but can only pass the ball by kicking, hitting it with a stick, or hitting it with their hand. The object of the game is to get the ball into the enemies soccer-sized net or over the bar. A goal into the net is worth three points and over the bar just one.

The most famous team at the moment is ‘The Kilkenny Hurling Team’ as they have had a lot of success in recent years.       

                          

For a demonstration on how the sport is played, click on this illustrative video:

Sources: http://www.kidzworld.com/article/5426-traditional-celtic-sports