Gaelic football is the biggest spectator sport in Ireland, drawing 34% of all sport event attendees in the country. As such, it is at the heart of Irish culture, and wherever the Irish go, Gaelic football follows. No one will be surprised to hear that north London has its own Galiec football club.
The Holloway Gaels is the GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) club known for its past glory, and a still very successful ladies' team. Now, a bunch of second generation Irish lads, in cooperation with
the London Irish Centre, are reviving the men's team. Every Sunday, they can be found training hard on a pitch in Finsbury Park.
In addition to being the national sport of the Irish, Gaelic football is also known for the annual
International Rules, the tournament where Paddies meet Aussies in a game that combines the rules of the two nations' respective national sports. This is one of the many highlights of the GAA year, and one well worth training for.
The Holloway Gaels may still be pretty far from the level of professional football skills seen during the International Rules games, but the determination and enthusiasm are nailed. Though a serious game worth breaking sweats and shedding tears for, Gaelic football is also an amazingly fun way of keeping fit. And if you're not the most athletic man on earth, why not join in for the laugh, and at least enjoy the feeling of a well-deserved pint of Guinness afterwards, in one of the many local Irish pubs? You know,
Guinness is good for you.
