Football Ground Map
Football Ground Map
Ireland is proud to hold a lot of sports and leagues. One of the most popular sports there are certainly the Gaelic Games, a unique mix of sports. The Irish are very loyal to these games, but being in Europe, Ireland has a lot of different sports clubs, and people enjoy playing other sports, too. With that said, let's explore the most popular sports in this country.
The Gaelic Games are Ireland's indigenous sports. These consist of handball, camogie, Gaelic football, and hurling. All four are part of the national body called the Gaelic Athletic Association - GAA. Recently, GAA has surpassed football in popularity and this makes Ireland's most popular and oldest sport. There are over 2,000 GAA clubs in Ireland which perfectly describes how much the Irish love sports.
Football, or soccer, is the most popular sport in the world and it is no surprise that it is popular in Ireland, too. The island has two domestic leagues - the Irish League played by teams in the north of the country, and the League of Ireland which is played by teams in the south together with Derry City. Their national governing body for football is the Football Association of Ireland - FAI, while in Northern Ireland it is the Irish Football Association - IFA.
Both national leagues and governing bodies have thousands of fans, and the Irish like watching worldwide championships and supporting the sport. However, that's not all since they also love testing their luck of the Irish and like placing bets on their favorite teams and sports. Anyone in Ireland can also place bets online, and if you are visiting, too, you can find a perfect place if you wanna bet on Irish football online at some of the most popular online casinos and sportsbooks.
The Irish national team for rugby is a fierce one since they have defeated the All Blacks twice. Those wins have made rugby enter the circle of the most popular sports in this country and Ireland has over 95,000 players participating in events and over 200 squads. Their governing body is the Irish rugby football union and they take care of the Irish Rugby team and players that start in the early years to get ready for pro-gaming. Additionally, rugby is often considered dangerous due to its contact nature, but that doesn't affect its continuous success in this country.
Even though the weather is not perfect for gold in Ireland, that still doesn't stop people from enjoying some of the greenest golf courses. Ireland has some of the most famous golf players, including Rory Mcllroy, Graeme McDowell, and Padraig Harrington. And since these pro golfers have really made a career and a name for themselves, it is no surprise that golf is one of the most popular sports in the country. Ireland has some of the finest golf courses in the world, and their Royal County Down course is ranked among the top 100 courses outside the US. They have also been hosts to the 148th Open at the Royal Portrush Golf Club and it was one of the most memorable events of 2019. The governing body for this sport is Golf Ireland, and the best season to play golf in Ireland is between May and September.
Besides those popular team sports, athletics is also highly popular in Ireland. Whether it's the track, road running, race walking, mountain running, or any other similar discipline, the Irish like it. The Athletics Association of Ireland - AAI - is the governing body and they start training children from a young age in order to turn them into superb athletes. There are also several marathons being held in Ireland including the Wild Atlantic Ultra in Mayo and Connemarathon in Galway. Ireland has also started to show how good they are in athletics as some of their athletes are doing great in the Olympics.
The Emerald Island is known for its passion for sports, which is mostly seen through football and rugby. However, those two sports are not the only sports played and loved in this country. As it can be seen, Ireland has a lot to show to the world with its unique sports like the Gaelic Games and its amazing athletes and other pro sportsmen and women.
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