Camogie facts for kids

A camogie team pictured in Waterford in October 1915

Camogie (pronounced "cam-OH-gee") is an exciting Irish team sport. It's like hurling, but played by women. The rules are very similar to hurling, with just a few small differences.

Camogie is organized by the Camogie Association of Ireland. It's a fast-paced game that needs skill and teamwork.

How Camogie is Played

In camogie, goalkeepers wear the same colors as their teammates. This is different from many other sports. Players can also handpass the ball to score a point. This means they can hit the ball with their open hand into the goal. This is not allowed in the men's hurling game.

All camogie games last for 60 minutes. In the men's senior hurling games, they play for 70 minutes. Players can also drop their camogie stick to handpass the ball. This makes the game flow quickly.

Major Competitions

The biggest event in camogie is the All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship. The final match is held every year in September. It takes place at Croke Park, a famous stadium in Dublin. This final is usually played between the hurling and Gaelic football finals.

Another important competition is the National League. This league happens during the winter and spring months. It's a great way for teams to warm up and get ready for the All-Ireland Championships in the summer. The current champions are Wexford, a strong team from Ireland.

Why it's Called "Camogie"

Camogie and hurling are special because they have different names for the men's and women's versions. The name comes from the Irish language. Men use a curved stick called a camán (pronounced "cam-awn"). Women use a shorter stick, which is called a camóg (pronounced "cam-ohg"). The word camóg is a smaller version of camán.

The suffix -aíocht (pronounced "ee-ocht") was added to both words. This created the names for the sports: camánaíocht and camógaíocht. When the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) was started in 1884, the men's game was given the English name "hurling." Later, in 1904, an organization for women's sports was formed. They decided to use an English version of the Irish name camógaíocht, which became "camogie."

Images for kids

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  A camogie match in action

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  Players may catch the ball with their hand

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  A camogie helmet lies beside a hurley

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  Goalposts and scoring system used in camogie

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  A camogie game in 1934

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  The O'Duffy Cup, named after Seán O'Duffy, is the prize presented to the winners of the All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship

See also

In Spanish: Camogie para niños