What is Gaelic football and where is it played?

In the world of sports, football has become king. It is a complete sport that many enjoy with great emotion. However, when we talk about football, we shouldn’t only focus on 11v11 football but also on sports like futsal, where Pescados Rubén Burela FS defends his guerreiras, laranxas, and rogues, just like we should underline the existence of Gaelic football.

Do you know what Gaelic football is, where it came from, and where it’s played? So that you can learn a little more about this fantastic sport, we not only share with you its rules but also the curiosities that give you the freedom to follow it live to be able to fully enjoy this traditional sport.

What is Gaelic football?

Gaelic football, known in Ireland as Peil Chaelach, is a variant of football that originated in Ireland. The peculiarity is that although the game is played on a field similar to Soccer 11, the rules are different. In fact, its main characteristic is that it is a combination of football and rugby, in which two teams of 15 players each try to score by passing a ball with their hands or by kicking it to score a goal.

Another aspect to emphasize is that the organization is so important that, while it is mainly focused on Ireland, it is already being presented in other parts of the world, including Spain. However, so that you can learn a little more about this sport, we are going to discuss topics such as its origin or even its rules.

Where was Gaelic football invented?

This sport is believed to have originated from ancient Irish football, known as Caid, whose origin dates back to 1537, although today’s game took shape in 1887. Because of this, it is mentioned that its origins lie in medieval Ireland, suggesting that it may be one of the oldest sports games in Europe.

The evolution of this game towards the rules we know today developed in the 19th centuryThis is when the official rules were being developed in Ireland. This is where Gaelic football originated, becoming an already organized sport and giving it its popularity.

This has evolved over time but has retained the distinctiveness of the sport, ensuring a traditional and cultural Irish touch. Indeed, this sport remains a symbol of Irish cultural identity and enjoys great popularity in the country.

General Rules of Gaelic Football

One of the main points of this sport is that There are two teams of 15 players each. These are divided into goalkeepers, two corner defenders, one outside defender, three half defenders, two midfielders, three half forwards, two corner forwards, and one outside striker. In addition, the power to appoint up to 15 deputies is also envisaged, but only five of these are used.

The gates were shaped like an H and located on each side of the field. Here, players must try to get the ball over the bar, which guarantees them a point, with the referee raising a white flag. On the other hand, if this goal is scored from below, the goal is worth three points, and the referee will raise a green flag.

Over and beyond The game lasts 60 minutes, this time divided into two halves of half an hour each. Ties are resolved by replaying in two 10-minute halves or even adding 20 minutes of overtime. The players cover a rectangular field between 130 and 145 meters long and 80 and 90 meters wide.

Where is Gaelic football played?

To this day, Gaelic football is no longer just focused on Ireland or Scotland, but in Spain it also plays a big role. In addition, areas such as Asia, Australia, Argentina, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom are also worth highlighting.

In fact, it should be noted that Galicia is home to the Galician-Gaelic Football Association, which was officially recognized by the European Gaelic Sports Convention in 2013. Here are the teams Fillos de Breogán (A Coruña), Irmandinhos (A Estrada), Mecos Ogrobe FG (O Grove), Estrela Vermelha and its subsidiary Estrela Gaels (Santiago de Compostela), Auriense FG (Ourense), Herdeiros de Dhais (Lalín ), Keltoi (Vigo), Cambados Gaélico (Cambados), Dorna (Arousa Island) and Turonia (Gondomar).

For this reason it is a sport that is becoming increasingly important and offers space to show that it has great potential. Therefore, it is a good opportunity to immerse yourself in one of the oldest sports in Europe.