Experiencing Gaelic Games

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The most popular sports in Ireland are soccer, rugby, Gaelic football (called Gaa by the Irish, they tell me), and hurling. I've been in Dublin intermittently since 2012 and never made the time to really investigate the latter two, neither of which I'd seen in action. This month, I was fortunate to be in Dublin when the finals for both hurling and Gaa took place. While there is a Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) experience to learn about these Gaelic Games near Glasnevin, when I researched it, I lucked out. They had an abbreviated class right on Trinity's campus, a block from our home. Sign me up!



Wearing workout clothes, I presented to the Trinity College – Dublin Pavilion on the sports pitch and met Cormac and Vinnie. Cormac and his wife started the program. They're educating international visitors about these sports, so integrated into Irish life. I'd heard on a tour a couple of years ago that there were three main influences on Irish life since the Irish Free State was formed 100 years ago (1922): Fianna Fáil, one of Ireland's political parties, the Roman Catholic Church, and the Gaelic Athletic Association . The first two have been failing, but the Gaelic Athletic Association remains strong. There's nothing in any other nation that can compare with the width and depth of the GAA's integration into the life of its people. A map of the over 2,000 GAA clubs closely follows the Irish map. Local people of all ages play the national sports that continue to promote the culture.

The GAA, founded in 1884 as a product of the Celtic Revival, was a response to the loss of half the population from the Great Hunger and rebellions. Those who survived had a great interest in preserving their culture and heritage. While the political parties and the Roman Catholic Church faltered, the GAA developed into the largest social organisation in Western Europe. "GAA is the most successful cultural organisation for the protection of indigenous culture," Cormac explains. "Our sports are part of our heritage, and the king of these sports is hurling. It's older than our recorded history."

Cormac and his wife created these Warrior Games to allow people to enjoy themselves and introduce them to this culture. Here in Ireland, you're born into your GAA club. Unlike the United States where, in all our professional sports, baseball, basketball, football, hockey, players are drafted and traded, in Ireland, you stay with the same club your entire life, with extremely rare exceptions.



In the U.S., lacrosse is a national sport. But stick and ball sports have existed with native Americans since ancient warrior civilisation times. It was a way for warriors to build their skills in preparation for a full-scale attack. Ancient myths and legends predate the written word, and the myths all tell of their exploits.

The expertise continues today. The Irish footballer will cover more ground in 70 minutes than a premier soccer player will cover because the field is so much larger. Cormac speaks eloquently about the need for indigenous cultures to incorporate these great skills, "since God was a child, I suppose."

But it's fundamentally about tribal identity and the Irish culture. Fifteen percent of the Irish population belongs to the GAA. There's no other organisation in any country that we've found to match it.

The children begin to play at a very young age. Hurlers come to be ruled by the "small ball," and Gaelic footballers by the "large ball." While children learn both, by the time they're in the American equivalent of high school, they tend to have chosen with one or the other. If the individual is good enough, they have the tremendous honour of being chosen to play for their County. If their County does well that year, they may play their way into the finals.

Most surprisingly, not a single player is professional. None of them are paid to play.

Of everyone who lives within the County boundaries who plays, 45 men and 45 women are chosen to play for the County at the All-Ireland sport level. This is one thing that brings the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland together.

Though Irish sports were illegal until 1922, it didn't take much to have the Northern Irish put the political and religious rivalries aside to play. There were still problems during the Troubles, but most of Northern Ireland is supportive of the game and it's no longer illegal there, either. As further example of the North's acceptance, you need only look at the mural at the entrance to Northern Ireland. Hurlers and footballers join an Irish dancer, James Connolly, and Bobby Sands.

After all, their finals have more attendees than the NFL Super Bowl or the MLB World Series.

Their women's teams games recently had the second highest attendance of any women's sporting event, behind the 1999 FIFA American Women's Soccer team's win against China in the Final.



Cormac taught me about hurling first. The hurling sticks, typically made of ash wood, have a thinner edge on the paddle to allow players to lift the ball, a sliotar (pronounced "slitter") made of a cork centre covered in leather.

It's only been since 2010 that helmets with faceguards have been required. Hurling is a very active, high-contact sport. Helmets reduce the risk of head injury where the sliotar can reach 180 km/hr (112 mph).



The hurling field is significantly larger than the American football field. One story I've heard repeatedly about American teams coming to Croke Park, the sporting field in Dublin, is "What do they play here that takes all this space?" The hurling field measures 142 to 159 yards in length and 87.5 to 98 yards in width. To put it in perspective, an American football field is 100 yards in length and 53 yards wide.

After they fitted me for a helmet, it was time to play. Out on the pitch, they taught me how to hold the stick. Your strong hand, your dominant hand, holds the lower portion of the stick. Your "skill" hand is your other hand. With it, you'll toss the sliotar, catch the sliotar overhand, and protect yourself as your opponent strives to steal the ball. There are two types of grips, the "hard hand" or "white knuckle" grip for striking the sliotar, and a "really light gentle loving touch." This makes it easy to reposition so that you start and finish with the stick in an upright position so you're ready to attack.

They taught me to pick the sliotar off the ground with the stick, which took some time. Then, how to toss the sliotar and, using a C motion of my swing, strike the sliotar about waist level to keep the best control. Learn the technique nice and slow, be patient with yourself, and you'll gain the muscle memory you need to build the skill.

When I was able to accomplish this, Cormac portrayed how it would be to have even one opponent. He easily popped the sliotar away from me with his stick, and handily gave me a side shove at the shoulder for me to lose my balance. Either one gives the other side ball control.

With my time in the wheelchair, I hadn't been active for a long time in sports, but the heart of an athlete persists. Cormac and Vinnie were both patient and kind. Vinnie kept moving further and further across the pitch as my skills improved.

While I'd never expect to come anywhere close to game statistics, the sliotar can cross that huge field in 1.5 seconds making this the fastest game with a ball, it was fun to build the basis of a new sport to love.

Next, it was time for me to understand Gaelic football. I've never played team soccer, so was really lost with this one. There are soccer rules, to be sure, but also the ability to lift the ball, men with their feet, women with their feet or hands, running with the ball for up to four steps before you'd have to strike or bounce the ball and complete your play.

Scoring is three points for a goal and one point for the team that gets the ball between the "field goals" or crossbar above the goal.

Vinnie took me out to the pitch to try. We used one ball to pass back and forth. It was easy to forget, as I was running across the field, to strike the ball prior to passing. Vinnie reassured me that it's not uncommon. "When you get excited during a game, that's one of the more common fouls."

Once exhausted, it was time to take the equipment in and wrap it up. They told me I was the best athlete they'd had all day. That's always fun. Never underestimate your ability to do something new, regardless of your physical condition and medical challenges. If you can meet the basic criteria for the sport, go experience it.

Cormac explained that they hope to interest international visitors in the culture and heritage of these two mostly unknown Irish sports.

I freely admit, being able to experience the sports meant even more than watching them. Knowing that it remains apolitical and areligious and the huge influence they've played in healing wounds after Ireland's Civil War. As Cormac says, "The mad mix of all of those kinds of combines all the contradictions. The real stories of counties and teams accepting players back who were on the wrong side of each other, so sworn enemies, who were returning to play their games and then coming back together was incredible."

The hurling finals were two weeks ago. It's a great time to go to the local pub.



The Gaelic football finals were today. I went to my neighborhood bar, Mulligan's and found this nice and vocal crowd.

I'd heard from a tour guide that I should check out The Living Room over in Dublin 1 so made my way over there.



Before I passed the ProCathedral, the Catholic Cathedral in Dublin, I came to the Confession Box, the bar closest to the Pro. Another small and vocal group was there.

But I pressed on. The Living Room is close to the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin's maternity hospital.



Walking in, security at the door pointed me in the direction of the Beer Garden in back. Beyond standing room only, it was slow going to make it through the crowds. I've never seen so many screens in one bar. All different sizes, on the walls and suspended from the ceiling, screens showed the plays between Kerry and Galway. The crowd, a nice mix of fans for both teams as well as neutral fans, roared appropriately.

To have a great, shorter version of the Warrior Ways , attend a session at Trinity College – Dublin. For a half-day version, attend the Gaelic Games experience in Glasnevin. I'm already looking forward to my next lesson!

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