Quincanna Becnel

One would be hard pressed to find a country that is more enthusiastic about their sports.

Popular sports in Ireland include, but are not limited to: soccer, hurling, rugby, cricket, and

Gaelic football. The three most popular, which will be the focus herein, are soccer, rugby, and

Gaelic football. The most popular of the aforementioned being the sport native to Ireland, Gaelic

football, though soccer arguably has a broad appeal that has resulting in a vacillation between

soccer and Gaelic football for the number 1 sport, in Ireland.

Soccer was introduced to Ireland by John McAlery, in 1878, after he saw an organized

match while on his honeymoon in Scotland (Cox, Russell, & Vamplew, 2002). He then

introduced the game to Ireland. The game has captivated the Irish Isle, ever since. According to

the Irish Post, the most popular soccer team in Ireland is Manchester United, which really hails

from England. A testament to the influence of the British Empire. The sport is played between 2

teams of eleven players, each. The object of the game being to get the ball into the opposing

teams goal, with each goal at the opposite end of a rectangular field. Soccer is played in two

periods of 45 minues, for a total of 90 minutes. It is not only one of the most popular sports in

Ireland, but throughout the world.

Rugby is a sport that looks a lot like American football. Long regarded as the little

brother among the Big Three sporting organisations, it seems as if rugby is poised to overtake

Gaelic games as the second-most popular sport in Ireland,(OBrien, 2014, para. 2). Rugby is

a fast moving full contact sport, which makes it even more exciting, and like American football,

the teams try to get the ball into the opposing teams zone on a field that is similar in size to that

of an American football field. Each team has 15 players and 7 substitutes. Unlike American
football, there are no time outs. One of the most interesting aspects of the game is the scrum. The

scrum is the formation of players, which is used to restart a play, in which both teams form a

huge mass of interlocking arms with their heads down. The ball is thrown between them and

players, while they are in this formation, attempt to kick the ball to their side.

Gaelic football is played between two teams. Each team has 15 players. Players advance

the ball into the other teams goal by punching or kicking the ball. Unlike soccer, players can use

their hands, carrying or passing the ball by hand. Gaelic football, like hurling, a sport that

resembles American field hockey and has been played in Ireland for over 3,000 years,

experienced controversy over the years. Once organized sports such as soccer and rugby were

introduced to Ireland, they were preferred by the wealthy elite, and became increasingly popular

with the masses. Thus, native sports such as Gaelic soccer and hurling became increasingly

frowned upon. All over the country, Hurling and Gaelic football were either discreetly

discouraged or openly prohibited by Government officials such as policemen and magistrates, as

well as by some Catholic clergy and many landlords (GAA, n.d., para. 4). It was believed that

the games incited violence, particularly for those who drank, or that the games were used as a

front for Nationalist meetings, that led to conspiring against the imperialist government of

England (GAA, n.d.).

Sports, for many cultures embody their nations spirit and pride. Sports show the pride

and prowess of its people, as well as a competitive nature. The Irish people engage in comradery

before, during, and after games. These national past times preoccupy the minds of the Irish

people and much debate and dialogue centers around them. Many even center their lives around

them. Also, unlike the large commercialized athletics such as the NBA, NFL, and NBL in the

United States, which invite corruption and distance the games they represent from regular
people, Ireland boasts a large number of amateur sports, in which many people can become

involved at the local level (Celik, n.d.). As a result of the sheer number of amateur sports teams

in Ireland many people often have personal relationships with the players, leading to an

inextricable link between sports and the Irish peoples daily life.

References
Celik, K. (n.d.). Why the Rest of the World Should Do Sports the Irish Way. Retrieved from
http://blog.educationinireland.com/why-the-rest-of-the-world-should-do-sports-the-irish-
way/
Cox, R., Russell, D., Vamplew, W. (2002). The History of Irish Soccer. Retrieved from
http://www.soccer-ireland.com/irish-football-history/
GAA. (n.d.). Football-History and Evolution. Retrieved from
http://www.gaa.ie/my-gaa/getting-involved/football-history-and-evolution
The Irish Post (2016). Most Popular Sports in Ireland. Retrieved from
http://irishpost.co.uk/category/sport/
OBrien, B. (2014, December 17). Rugby closes on GAA as soccer still most popular sport. The
Irish Examiner. Retrieved from
http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/rugby-closes-on-gaa-as-soccer-still-most-
popular-sport-302892.html