Traditional Celtic Sports

To celebrate St. Patrick's Day, Kidzworld takes a look at hurling, gaelic football and other sports of Ireland.

Gaelic Sports - Hurling

Hurling is a lot like field hockey or lacrosse but also has similiarities to rugby and soccer. Hurling is played on a large field with a curved wooden stick called a hurley and a small, hard ball called a sliothar. The object of the game is to use the hurley to knock the sliothar between the opposing team's goal posts. The sport was invented in Ireland about 2,000 years ago and in its early years, the sport was used to settle disputes between neighboring villages. Villages would play games involving hundreds of players, which would last several hours or even days. Now games are played with two 30-minute halves.

Gaelic Sports - Camogie

Camogie is similar to hurling but it is played by girls. The game was invented in the early 1900s when women in Ireland began to take a greater interest in playing sports. The ball used in camogie is slightly smaller than a hurling ball and players are not aloud to make body contact like they are in hurling. Players in camogie are allowed to hit an opponent's stick or hurley, which is not permitted in hurling.

Gaelic Sports - Gaelic Football

Gaelic football is one of Ireland's most popular sports. The sport was first played in Ireland in the 16th century when entire towns would battle each other to try and force the ball into the other town's territory. Modern gaelic football is a mix of soccer and rugby. Each team has 15 players and a ball slightly smaller than a soccer ball is used. The ball can be carried for short distances and it is passed using kicks or a "hand-pass", by hitting the ball with the hand or fist. It is a very fast-paced game, that is often quite rough and hard-hitting. No helmets or other protective equipment is used.

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