Sport In Ireland!!

SPORT IN IRELAND Sport is very important in everyday life in Ireland! It also plays a very big role in schools as PE is part of the school curriculum. We are a competitive country and love participating in all sports! Gaelic football and hurling are the most popular sport in Ireland in terms of match attendance, and in 2003 accounted for 34% of total sports attendances at events in the Republic of Ireland, followed by hurling at 23%, soccer at 16% and rugby at 8%, , the All-Ireland Football Final, to be the most watched event of the nation's sporting year. Soccer is the most played team sport in Ireland. Swimming, golf, aerobics, cycling, Gaelic football and billiards/snooker are the other sporting activities with the highest levels of playing participation in the Republic of Ireland.] The many sports played and followed in Ireland also include horse racing, show jumping, greyhound racing, basketball, fishing, handball, motor sport, target shooting and tennis. As well as being known as "football", the sport may be referred to as Gaelic football or Gaelic, if confusion might otherwise arise with soccer. Though it has existed for centuries in Ireland as Caid, Gaelic football was formally arranged into an organised playing code by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) in the late nineteenth century. It is the most popular sport in Ireland in terms of match attendance – in the senior football championship in the summer, attendance is upwards of 80,000 for the most prestigious fixtures. The game is played at underage, minor (under 18), under 21 and adult levels. All players are amateur, although players at a high level may receive income from sources such as sponsorship and grants. Every Gaelic footballer plays for a local club or parish team, and the best are chosen for the inter-county sides. County players may be chosen to play in inter-provincial Railway Cup games or for the 'International Rules' team to face Australia. However, the main national competitions are the inter-county All-Ireland Senior Football Championship and National Football League, also known as the NFL. A Gaelic football year starts with pre-season competitions and the NFL. In early summer, the Championship begins. Each of the four provinces has its own tournament, and teams which are knocked out must do well in the 'qualifiers' if they are to gain a spot along with the four Provincial Champions in the All-Ireland quarter-finals. The All-Ireland Senior Football final is traditionally held on the third Sunday in September. Kerry are football's most successful team, with 36 All-Ireland senior titles. There are many rivalries within the game in Ireland – an example is that between Dublin and Meath. Other notable teams include Cork and Kerry. Picture above shows Knockskeagh team playing Gaelic Football!! Hurling is a sport native to Ireland, organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association. In terms of attendance figures, hurling is second only to Gaelic football. The game has similarities to shinty and hockey. However the ball (or sliotar) is rarely played along the ground. Hurling is also played on a large pitch and is considerably faster than hockey. Many aspects of the organisation of hurling are similar to football, as both sports are organised by the GAA. Amateurism and the club/county/province structure are similar. Hurling is well-attended and the most prestigious games fill Croke Park to its capacity of well over 80,000. The main competitions are the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship and the National Hurling League (NHL). Hurling picture above Picture above shows Knockskeagh team playing soccer!! How does the Weather affect sports in Ireland? The weather can affect lots of sports as we have a lot of rain in our country! This leads to our sports often being played in wet weather. Most sports can accommodate this due to their sand based pitches and also all weather pitches. The FAI soccer league is played during the summer months as is the GAA calendar so to take advantage of the improved weather that occurs from April to September. We utilise our string winds and beaches for our advantage for windsurfing and body boarding! The Environment and Sport in Ireland.. Our golf courses are all wildlife friendly and provide sanctuary for many different animal/bird species! Irish sports clubs also use many different type of renewable energy in their clubhouses like windmills and solar panels! They also put a huge emphasis on recycling of rubbish in their clubs, Knockskeagh school playing rugby!!