Gaelic games facts for kids
Gaelic games (Irish: Cluichí Gaelacha) are a group of exciting sports that started in Ireland. They are played all over the world, but they are super popular in Ireland! These games include Gaelic football, hurling, Gaelic handball, and rounders.
The two most popular games are Gaelic football and hurling. The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) organizes both of these sports. There are also women's versions of hurling and football. These are called camogie and ladies' Gaelic football. The Camogie Association of Ireland organizes camogie, and the Ladies' Gaelic Football Association organizes ladies' Gaelic football. Even though these women's sports have their own groups, they work closely with the GAA. However, GAA Handball organizes both men's and women's handball games.
You can find Gaelic games clubs in many countries around the world. In Ireland, these sports are the most popular, even more so than rugby union or association football. In 2017, nearly a million people watched 45 big GAA championship games. This shows how much people love these sports! Gaelic games are even part of the lessons taught in primary schools in Ireland.
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Gaelic Football: What It Is
Gaelic football is a team sport played by 15 players on each side. The game takes place on a big grass field that looks like a rectangle. At each end of the field, there are H-shaped goals.
How to Score in Gaelic Football
The main goal in Gaelic football is to score points. You can score in two ways:
- You can kick or punch the ball into the net, which is called a goal. A goal is worth 3 points.
- You can kick the ball over the crossbar and between the two posts. This is called a point. A point is worth 1 point.
The team with the most points at the end of the game wins!
Ladies' Gaelic Football
There is also a version of the game for women called ladies' Gaelic football. It is very similar to the men's game. There are only a few small rule differences.
Other Football Formats
In places like Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Argentina, and South Africa, smaller versions of Gaelic football are played. These games have fewer players, usually 7 to 11. They often use smaller fields, like those used for soccer or rugby.
Hurling: The Fastest Field Game
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Hurling is a super fast stick-and-ball game. Like Gaelic football, it is played by teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass field. There are H-shaped goals at each end.
How to Score in Hurling
The main goal in hurling is to score points. Players use a stick called a hurley to hit a small ball called a sliotar.
- You can hit the sliotar into the net for a goal, which is worth 3 points.
- You can hit the sliotar over the crossbar and between the posts for a point, which is worth 1 point.
The team with the highest score wins the game.
History and Skills of Hurling
Hurling is a very old sport, more than three thousand years old! Many people say it is the fastest field game in the world. It combines skills you might see in lacrosse, field hockey, and baseball. It is a tough game that needs a lot of skill.
Camogie: Women's Hurling
The women's version of hurling is called camogie. It is very much like hurling, with just a few small rule changes.
Other Hurling Formats
Just like Gaelic football, smaller versions of hurling are played in other parts of the world. These games have 7 to 11 players and use smaller fields. You can find these games in places like Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Argentina, and South Africa.
Gaelic Handball: Wall Ball Fun
Gaelic handball is a game where two players use their hands to hit a ball against a wall. It is similar to American handball.
Types of Gaelic Handball
There are four main types, or "codes," of Gaelic handball:
- Softball (also called '60x30' or 'big alley' because of the court size).
- 4-Wall (also called '40x20' or 'small alley').
- 1-Wall (this is the most popular type of handball played around the world, in over 30 countries).
- Hardball (can also be '60x30'; played on the same court as Softball).
The organization that runs and promotes Gaelic handball in Ireland is called GAA Handball.
Rounders: Bat and Ball Game
Rounders is a bat-and-ball game played in Ireland. There is a similar game played in the UK. Rounders is organized by a part of the GAA called the Rounders Council of Ireland. It is quite similar to the American game softball.
