This portion of our web guide discusses and offers resources for Gaelic football, commonly known as Irish football.
The origins of Gaelic football can be traced back to ancient times, with early forms of the game played in Ireland for centuries. However, it wasn't until the late 19th century that Gaelic football, as it is known today, began to take shape.
The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) was founded in 1884 to promote traditional Irish sports, including Gaelic football, hurling, and handball. Today, the GAA plays a central role in organizing and promoting Gaelic football, overseeing competitions at all levels, from grassroots to elite teams.
Gaelic football is played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch. The objective is to score by kicking or punching the ball into the other team's goal (3 points) or between two upright posts above the goal and over a crossbar 8'2" above the ground (1 point).
Players advance the ball up the field with a combination of carrying, bouncing, kicking, hand-passing, and soloing (dropping the ball and then toe-kicking the ball upward into the hands). In the game, two types of points are possible: points and goals. A point is awarded for kicking or hand-passing the ball over the crossbar, signaled by the umpire raising a white flag. A goal is awarded for kicking the ball under the crossbar into the net.
The primary competition in Gaelic football at the inter-county level is the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. This knock-out tournament is the most significant competition in the sport. It typically takes place in the summer and culminates in the All-Ireland Final, one of the most-watched sporting events in Ireland. The National League, while important, serves more as a preparatory competition, helping teams build form and fitness for the Championship.
The secondary competition at the inter-county level is the National League, held every spring and grouping counties into four divisions according to their strength. However, the Championship (a knock-out tournament) offers the most prestige.
Gaelic football spread throughout the world in the late 19th century. Despite a substantial Irish-American population, there was limited awareness of the game in North America. It was first played in North America in the 1890s, with games being played in both Canada and the United States in 1892. More than a dozen clubs had been established in the U.S. by 1893.
Despite its proximity to Ireland, the first clubs appeared in England in 1896. Around 1900, the game began to more closely resemble the running game of today. Players were allowed to lift the ball off the ground and run with it if they bounced it every four yards.
The first match played in Australia was in 1902, and it found a niche in Queensland during a period when Australian football was in recess.
Gaelic football combines the suspense of soccer, the skills and scoring of basketball, and the speed of the fastest sports in the world in a free-flowing, action-packed game. Although often compared to American football and soccer, it has its own unique rules and gameplay. Unlike American football, Gaelic football has no strict offside rule, and players can pass the ball to teammates ahead of them. Unlike soccer, players can handle the ball with their hands, although they cannot pick it up off the ground.
While developed independently, Gaelic football combines elements of soccer, rugby, and basketball, and is deeply embedded in Irish culture and history, although it has made inroads in other parts of the world.
Organizations and leagues representing the sport are appropriate for this category, along with team websites, sports news concentrating on Gaelic football, and other informational sites.
Recommended Resources
Governed by the Australasia GAA, the County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association, the Australasia Gaelic Games promote and develop Gaelic sports like Gaelic football, hurling, camogie, and ladies' football across Australia and New Zealand. The organization oversees various leagues, championships, and youth development programs. Its executive committee, competitions, and other events, fixtures, results, and an online shop are available, offering branded merchandise.
https://australasiangaelicgames.com/
The Essex Shillelaghs GAA program introduces Gaelic sports to Essex County, New Jersey. Associated with the Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh of Essex County, the Town of West Orange Recreation Department, and the New York GAA Minor Board, the program aims to increase awareness and involvement in Gaelic sports within the community and to build a network across the Irish community in the surrounding region. The sport is introduced, along with information on becoming a coach or sponsor.
https://essexshillelaghsgaa.com/
GAA World refers to the global community and activities of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), which promotes traditional Irish sports, including Gaelic football. The GAA has expanded beyond Ireland, with clubs and competitions in regions such as North America, Europe, Australasia, and the Middle East. The All-Ireland Championships and National Leagues are the highlights of the GAA calendar, but, with 32 Counties in Ireland, as well as London and New York, there is plenty of competition.
https://gaa.world/gaelic-football/
Known in Gaelic as Cumann Lúthchleas Gael (CLG), the GAA is an Irish international amateur sporting and cultural organization focused primarily on promoting Indigenous Gaelic games and pastimes, which include several traditional Irish sports. Gaelic football and hurling are the most popular activities promoted by the GAA and the most popular sports in the Republic of Ireland in terms of attendance. Gaelic football is the second most popular sport in Northern Ireland.
https://www.gaa.ie/
GGC, or the Canadian GAA, is responsible for Gaelic games across Canada, overseeing about twenty clubs. It has the same status as one of the county boards of Ireland and is one of over thirty regional GAA executive boards throughout the world. The GGC connects with three Gaelic games and cultural organizations: the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), the Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA), and the Camogie Association (CA). Its games, clubs, calendar, and contacts are provided.
https://gaelicgamescanada.com/
Michael Collins Gaelic Football Club
Based in Alexandria, Virginia, the Michael Collins Gaelic Football Club is an amateur Irish sports club operating under the U.S. Gaelic Athletic Association (USGAA) and competes in the Mid-Atlantic division, which includes the District of Columbia, Baltimore, and Richmond. The club also participates in non-divisional matches and tournaments along the East Coast, including the USGAA national championship. Its board, sponsorships, events, and contacts are featured.
https://alexandria-gaa.com/
National Collegiate Gaelic Association
The NCGAA is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and supporting Gaelic sports, such as hurling and Gaelic football, across college campuses in North America. Established in 2009, the NCGAA empowers students to form teams, compete, and learn leadership skills that extend beyond graduation. The association organizes events such as the annual National Championship Tournament, which showcases collegiate talent. An introduction to Gaelic football and contacts are provided.
https://www.ncgaa.org/
The Gaelic football club is based in the London Borough of Enfield. It was established in 2005 through the amalgamation of Saint Theresa's and Sam Maguires clubs. The club includes both adult and youth teams, including girls' teams, and actively promotes Gaelic football through taster sessions and training camps in schools across North London. The North London Shamrocks compete at a senior level in London. The clubhouse, catering facilities, club shop, sponsors, and contacts are featured.
https://northlondonshamrocks.com/
Saigon Gaels GAA Football Club
The Gaelic football club is based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Established in 2011, the club has grown into a welcoming community for both expatriates and locals, offering competitive and social teams, regular training sessions, and participation in major GAA tournaments beyond Asia. The club was founded in 2011, its origins tracing back to when the VietCelts, another GAA club in Hanoi, were unable to host the South Asian Gaelic Games due to venue constraints.
https://www.saigongaelsgaa.com/
The SFGAA is the governing body for Gaelic sports like camogie, hurling, and football in Northern California. The organization aims to promote Irish sports, foster a strong athletic community, and celebrate Irish heritage in the Bay Area. Games are played at Páirc na nGael, a dedicated Gaelic athletic pitch on Treasure Island, from April through August. Its men's and ladies' football programs, fixtures, results, organizational and game news, and contacts are provided.
https://www.sanfrangaa.com/
Serving as a community for Gaelic sports enthusiasts in Shanghai, China. They train twice a week at top-class facilities and participate in major tournaments like the China Games and the Asian Games. The club also competes across Asia, from Shenzhen to Singapore and beyond. Its website includes an overview of Gaelic football, including its rules, an introduction to the club, a club calendar, a gallery of photographs, videos, social media, and contact information.
https://shanghaigaelic.com/
The USGAA Youth program promotes Gaelic sports like Gaelic football, hurling, and camogie among young players across the United States. The organization oversees youth Gaelic sports outside of New York and connects players with clubs nationwide. The USGAA Youth Committee, its clubs and divisions, sports programs, a calendar of tournaments and events, and a gallery of photographs are included, along with games development resources, and contact information.
https://www.usgaayouth.org/
U.S. Gaelic Athletic Association
The USGAA is one of three county boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association in North America and is responsible for Gaelic games in the United States, with the exception of the New York metropolitan area, which is administered by the New York GAA. When formed, the USGAA included Canadian clubs, but these are now under the control of the Canadian county board. Its history, objectives, divisions, clubs, membership and reigstration, and a calendar of events are featured.
https://usgaa.org/gaelic-football/
