Part 1 - Sports
“Look at that screen, there you can see Irish
culture at its finest.” My family and I were sitting at a pub in Ireland when
an old bearded man mumbled these words towards us. On the screen you could see
men passing around a ball. “So you play a lot of soccer in Ireland?”, my mum
asked. The auburn-haired man turned around and couldn’t believe what he just
heard. “Young lady, that isn’t soccer, its Gaelic football.”, and with a smile
on his face he tried to explain the difference. So what makes Gaelic football
so special?
Gaelic
football is a mixture of soccer, football and basketball, so there is something
for everyone. It is played with a round ball and both hands and feet are used
to play. There are 15 players in each team and the aim of the game is to score
by kicking the ball through or over the goals.
Have a look at this video where you can watch a
Gaelic football match, it is really worth it!
Another
Sports Irish people are passionate about is Hurling. It is one of the oldest
games with its traditions set 3000 years ago. The grass pitch and the bars are
the same as the ones used for the Gaelic football game. Equality is the number
of players and the primary object. The only difference is that you play it with
a stick and a much smaller ball. It is a mixture of lacrosse, field hockey, and
baseball and one of the fastest games in world and definitely nothing for sissies.
If
you want to see what I have been talking about check out this video! You will
enjoy it!
Hopefully
I have captured your interest and whenever you
have the opportunity to visit Ireland, I recommend you to visit one of these
fascinating games. I definitely will! :)
