Origins of Gaelic Football

Gaelic Football is one of the oldest ball games, predating both soccer and rugby, both of which it resembles. It originated in Ireland but today is played in many countries all over the world, including the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Britain. It is thought that Australian Rules evolved from Gaelic Football through the many people who were deported or emigrated to Australia from the middle of the 20th Century onwards.

The Game Itself

Gaelic Football is played with 15 players per team, consisiting of a goalkeeper, 3 full-backs, 3 half-backs, 2 midfielders, 3 half-forwards, and 3 full-forwards. The game is played with a round football which can be 'kick-passed' or 'hand-passed' to a team-mate to maintain possession, with the ultimate objective of gaining a score. 

The ball can be carried for four steps before it must either be passed, bounced or 'solo-ed'. Soloing involves dropping the ball onto the foot and kicking it back up to the hand. The ball cannot be bounced twice in a row, and cannot be thrown. Players may use their hands to pickup, catch and carry the ball.

Scoring is achieved when the ball is passed over the crossbar between the two posts (for a point) or into the goal (for 3 points) by foot or hand / fist. The goalposts are similar to those used in rugby but with a lowered crossbar that is slightly higher than a football goal.

The ladies rules differ slightly from the mens in an attempt to eliminate any unnecessary physical contact and to speed up the game. The mens game lasts 70 mins and is played with a size 5 ball, whilst the ladies totals 60 mins and a size 4 ball is used.

Ladies Gaelic Football, whilst being a physical game, is unlike rugby in that players may not bring the ball into their possession whilst on the ground. This avoids many physical tussles, confining attempts to dispossess an opponent to knocking the ball away from the player with an open palm of one hand, or by blocking a pass.

The ladies game, although physically demanding, is an entertaining and fast free-flowing game. It combines many skills and tactics from other field games, demanding different attributes from differently positioned players, providing the game with the unique appeal that there is something for everyone.