GET KNOW THE MOST POPULAR IRISH SPORTS

Posted 12/09/2018

Irish people don’t fancy only Guinness, they love sports as well! They practice, support and meet in pubs to watch the games. We have made a list of the best known Irish sports because if you are on the Emerald Isle you have to watch a match. Check it out!

Sports in Ireland represent a great opportunity to learn about the culture of the country and also have some fun. Let’s get started!

GAELIC FOOTBALL

Gaelic Football is the most popular sport in Ireland and it’s a mix of soccer and Rugby. However, many believe that Irish Gaelic football is older than the most traditional one since for decades it has been very prestigious.

The team consists of 15 players, which makes it look like the traditional soccer. The main purpose is to score goals, leading the ball with kicks and bounces – the main difference from soccer. Players can carry the ball on the field with a combination of kicking and bouncing, passing the ball with their feet or hands to teammates. The team with the highest score at the end of the game wins.

–
READ MORE: 5 BEACHES TO ENJOY THE SUMMER IN DUBLIN
–

RUGBY

In Rugby, each province has its own team and each one with its style of play. The combination of all is formed the Irish national team, which participate in the famous tournament “6 Nations”.

A team consists of 15 regular players and usually 7 substitute players. The position of the players in the field is usually composed in a parallel line, and players can’t stand themselves in front of the ball. The purpose of the game is to score as many points as possible, ranging from 2 to 5, depending on the play.

HURLING

This one is very Irish! And also closely related to the history and politics of Ireland. It bears a lot of resemblance to hockey as it is a very fast game.

In the game, two teams, composed of 15 players each, try to score with the help of a stick, a ball (the size of a tennis ball) in the opposite goal. The players can only take three steps to pass the ball to the other player.

The game is counted by goals and points. The goal is achieved when the ball exceeds the line under the beam of the goal. It worths three points. If it passes through the top, between the poles, it worths one point as well.