Gaelic sports

Understanding the games

A quiz to choose your sport, animated diagrams to understand the rules, and a glossary so you can speak Irish on the pitch.

The quiz

Which Gaelic sport is right for you?

Five questions, thirty seconds. Your answers stay on your device.

The rules in pictures

On the pitch

The pitch, the goals and the score: the basics of men’s and ladies Gaelic football and hurling.

The pitch for men’s and ladies Gaelic football, and hurling
A large rectangle of about 145 m by 90 m. The lines at 13, 20, 45 and 65 m from the goals are reference points for free kicks and positions.

The goals: a goal is worth 3 points, a point is worth 1
If the ball goes under the crossbar, it’s a goal (3 points). If it goes over, between the posts, it’s a point.

Gaelic handball and rounders

And also

Two easy sports to try, open to every level.

Gaelic handball: hitting the ball against the wall
Players take turns to hit the ball against the wall with the hand, before it has bounced twice on the floor. If the opponent cannot return it, the point is scored.

Rounders: running around the four bases
The batter hits the ball then runs from base to base: each full circuit without being tagged scores a “rounder”.

Speak Gaelic

The glossary

The Irish words you hear on every pitch, with an approximate pronunciation.

camán / kuh-MAWN /: The hurling stick, made of ash.
sliotar / SHLIT-er /: The ball used in hurling and camogie, made of leather with a cork core.
iománaíocht / UM-uh-nee-uhkht /: Hurling.
camógaíocht / kuh-MOH-gee-uhkht /: Camogie: the women’s version of hurling.
peil Ghaelach / pel GAY-lukh /: Gaelic football.
liathróid láimhe / LEE-uh-roid LAW-vuh /: Gaelic handball: “the ball of the hand”.
Cumann Lúthchleas Gael / KUM-un LOO-khlas GAIL /: The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), founded in 1884.
cúl / KOOL /: The goal, worth 3 points.
pointe / POYN-tuh /: The point, worth 1 point.
Páirc an Chrócaigh / PAWRK un KHROH-kig /: Croke Park, Dublin’s great stadium.
fáilte / FAWL-chuh /: Welcome.
go raibh maith agat / guh rev mah UG-ut /: Thank you.

The pronunciations are approximate, written for French and English speakers. The best reference is still the Irish players in your club!

Fancy giving it a go?

Find the nearest club and come along to a taster session.