Sports In
Ireland
THE GAELIC ATHLETIC
ASSOCIATION
The Gaelic Athletic
Association was founded in 1884 to promote indigenous Irish sport and
discourage British influences - members were once forbidden from playing
foreign games such as cricket which is quite famous in England. Today,
despite heavy competition from soccer, the most popular sport in Ireland
remains Gaelic football.
However, the more
intriguing Gaelic Athletic Association is hurling - a fast and physical
field sport played with hurling sticks -which is said to have originated
in ancient Celtic times. Both Gaelic football and hurling are played at
parish and country level on a wholly amateur basis. Camogie is a version
of hurling which is basically played by women. The season ends with the
All-Ireland finals, which draw huge and passionate crowd to the city of
Dublin, the capital
of Ireland.
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