Gaelic football
Irish amateur team sport governed by the Gaelic Athletic Association.
Gaelic football is a team sport played in Ireland, where it is often called Gaelic, GAA, or simply football. Two teams of 15 players compete on a rectangular grass pitch. The aim is to score by putting the ball into the opponent’s goal (worth 3 points) or sending it between two upright posts and over a crossbar that sits 2.5 metres above the ground (worth 1 point). Players move the ball by carrying, bouncing, kicking, hand-passing, or soloing—which means dropping it and then toe-kicking it back into their hands. There are two main types of scores: a point, signalled by a white flag, comes from kicking or hand-passing the ball over the crossbar; a goal, worth three points and shown by a green flag, happens when the ball is kicked under the crossbar into the net—hand-passing into the goal is not allowed. Player positions are similar to those in other football codes: one goalkeeper, six backs, two midfielders, and six forwards, with substitutes available.
Gaelic football is one of four Gaelic games run by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), the largest sporting body in Ireland. Along with hurling and camogie, it remains one of the few fully amateur sports worldwide—players, coaches, and managers cannot receive any payment. The sport is mostly played on the island of Ireland, but GAA units also exist in Great Britain, mainland Europe, North America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania.
The All-Ireland Senior Championship final, held each year at Croke Park in Dublin, draws crowds over 80,000. Outside Ireland, the game is mainly played by the Irish diaspora, though France—especially the Celtic region of Brittany—has seen recent growth. Gaelic Park in New York City is the largest purpose-built Gaelic sports venue outside Ireland. Three major inter-county competitions run annually: the National Football League, the All-Ireland Senior Championship, and the Tailteann Cup. The All-Ireland Club Championship is for individual clubs. The All-Ireland Senior Championship is the most prestigious event in the sport.
Under the GAA, Gaelic football is male-only; the related sport of ladies' Gaelic football is run by the Ladies' Gaelic Football Association. Similarities with Australian rules football led to the creation of international rules football, a hybrid
- sport
- Gaelic football
- governing_body
- Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA)
- players_per_team
- 15
- scoring_methods
- Goal (3 points), point (1 point)
- amateur_status
- Strictly amateur; players, coaches, and managers prohibited from receiving payment
- major_competitions
- All-Ireland Senior Championship, National Football League, Tailteann Cup, All-Ireland Club Championship
- largest_venue
- Croke Park, Dublin (crowds over 80,000)
Lore & Background
Gaelic football as it is known today dates back to the late 19th century, though various kinds of football were played in Ireland before this time. The first legal reference to football in Ireland was in 1308, when a spectator was charged with stabbing a player. By the 17th century, games were organised between landlords with teams of 20 or more tenants, and wagers were commonplace. The earliest record of a recognised precursor dates from a match in County Meath in 1670, in which catching and kicking the ball were permitted. The earliest recorded inter-county match under GAA rules is the 1888 All-Ireland final, though a precursor match between Louth and Meath at Slane in 1712 is sometimes cited as an early example of inter-county football.
Reader's Guide
Gaelic football is a central element of Irish cultural identity and is played by 15 players per side on a rectangular grass pitch. The objective is to score by kicking or palming the ball into the opponent's goal (3 points) or over the crossbar (1 point), with an additional two-point award for kicks from a 40-metre arc. Players advance the ball through carrying, bouncing, kicking, hand-passing, and soloing. The All-Ireland Senior Championship, held annually at Croke Park, is the most prestigious event, drawing crowds over 80,000. Outside Ireland, the sport is mainly played among the Irish diaspora, with notable growth in France, particularly Brittany. Gaelic Park in New York City is the largest purpose-built Gaelic sports venue outside Ireland. The sport is male-only under the GAA, while ladies' Gaelic football is governed separately. Similarities with Australian rules football led to the hybrid sport of international rules football, with Test matches played from 1984 to 2017.
Did You Know?
- 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.
- The final of the All-Ireland Senior Championship at Croke Park, Dublin, draws crowds of more than 80,000 people.
- A goal is awarded for kicking the ball under the crossbar into the net; the ball cannot be hand-passed into the goal.
- The earliest recorded inter-county match in Ireland was between Louth and Meath at Slane in 1712.
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