Gaelic Games

In Ireland, Gaelic Games, music, dance and our language lie at the heart of who we are and what it is to be Irish. Our games, music and dance are truly unique. Also, they are exhilarating, exciting and engaging. They will not only interest visitors to our shores, they will WOW them.

At Experience Gaelic Games we are delighted to be able to offer visitors the opportunity to visit us and have them engage with a truly fantastic side of Irish culture and day to day life. We will bring you into a local GAA club, and allow you to immerse yourself in the phenomenon that is the GAA. Furthermore, the club we will bring you into is just 1 of 2,200 clubs on our island. One lies at the centre of every single community!
Don’t just visit us in our club, join us!

The games are the traditional sports played in Ireland. Our two main games are Gaelic Football & Hurling, both of which are organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). Other games organised by the GAA include Rounders and Gaelic Handball. Hurling is considered the oldest and fastest field sport in the world. Its first literary reference dates back to 1272 BC during the battle of Moytura in County Mayo.

During the late 19th century, our native indigenous games in Ireland were dying out. This decline was stopped and reversed by the GAA and the Gaelic Revival.

Today, Gaelic Football and Hurling are the most popular games in Ireland.

‘The Heart of the Community’

Players are boys and girls across all age groups from Under 8 to Under 18, and men and women of all ages.

Every weekend Club matches are played in every town and village of Ireland. The very biggest matches regularly attract attendances of over 50,000 per game.

The All-Ireland Finals attract 82,500 every September to an extraordinary stadium in Dublin: “Croke Park” based close to city centre Dublin.

Gaelic Games in Croke Park