The origins of Gaelic games predate recorded history.
Bardic sources provide an insight into the character of the pre-GAA games. Hurling predominates, but there are also references to football.
Fragments of the ancient Brehon Laws show that hurling was regulated from at least the eighth century. After the Norman invasion of the 12th century, hurling was proscribed by the English Crown.
Foreign visitors to Ireland in the 17th and 18th centuries noted that hurling and football occupied an important place in the social life of the community.
In August 1884 Micheal Cusack met a group of nationalists in Loughrea, County Galway, and outlined his plans to establish a national organisation for Irish athletes and to revive hurling.
The Gaelic Athletic Association is more than a sporting organisation. Although it is dedicated to promoting the games of hurling, football, handball, rounders, and camogie, the Association also supports activities which enrich the culture of the nation and further Gaelic ideals, including the Irish language and Irish music and dance. The GAA endeavours to strengthen pride in the communities it serves.
The Gaelic Athletic Association (G.A.A.) was founded on November 1st 1884, by a group of spirited Irishmen who had the foresight to realise the importance of establishing a national organisation to revive and nurture traditional, indigenous pastimes.
Until that time all that was Irish was being steadily eroded by emigration, desperate poverty and outside influences. Within six months of that famous first meeting, clubs began to spring up all over Ireland and people began to play the games of Hurling and Gaelic Football and take part in Athletic events with pride. From 1925 the G.A.A. handed over the organisation of Athletics to a separate organisation.
The Irish who emigrated brought their national games with them and both regional and club units are now well established in America, Australia, New Zealand, Britain, Canada, mainland Europe and in many other parts of the world where the large Irish diaspora are located.
The G.A.A. has over 2,500 clubs in Ireland alone. The playing of Gaelic Games is based on the G.A.A/ Club, and each of the 32 Counties in Ireland have their own Club competitions, culminating in County Winners in championship and league. Club units outside of Ireland have their own league and championship competitions with the format dictated by the number of players and clubs available.
Clubs are generally based in a specific geographic area (usually a parish), and draw their players from that area. In certain cases, e.g. universities, the club will represent an organisation or institution and will draw their players from the members of that organisation.
Clubs will field one or more teams at various levels, and will play in their county's leagues, cups and championships. Most clubs will have both hurling and football teams, but some clubs will concentrate exclusively on one or other of the two Gaelic Games.
Gaelic Football can be described as a mixture of soccer and rugby, although it predates both of those games. It is a field game which has developed as a distinct game similar to the progression of Australian Rules. Indeed it is thought that Australian Rules evolved from Gaelic Football through the many thousands who were either deported or emigrated to Australia from the middle of the twentieth century.
Gaelic Football is played on a pitch approximately 137m long and 82m wide. The goalposts are the same shape as on a rugby pitch, with the crossbar lower than a rugby one and slightly higher than a soccer one. The ball used in Gaelic Football is round, slightly smaller than a soccer ball. It can be carried in the hand for a distance of four steps and can be kicked or "hand-passed", a striking motion with the hand or fist. After every four steps the ball must be either bounced or "solo-ed", an action of dropping the ball onto the foot and kicking it back into the hand. You may not bounce the ball twice in a row. To score, you put the ball over the crossbar by foot or hand / fist for one point or under the crossbar and into the net by foot or the hand / fist in certain circumstances for a goal, the latter being the equivalent of three points.
Players wear a jersey with their team colours and number on the back. Both teams must have different colour jerseys. The goalkeepers' jerseys must not be similar to the jersey of any other player. Referees normally tog out in black jerseys, socks and togs. Goalkeepers may not be physically challenged whilst inside their own small parallelogram, but players may harass them into playing a bad pass, or block an attempted pass. Teams are allowed a maximum of five substitutes in a game. Players may switch positions on the field of play as much as they wish but this is usually on the instructions of team officials.
Officials for a game comprise of a referee, two linesmen (to indicate when the ball leaves the field of play at the side and to mark '45'' free kicks and 4 umpires (to signal scores, assist the referee in controlling the games, and to assist linesmen in positioning '45' frees).
A goal is signalled by raising a green flag, placed to the left of the goal. A point is signalled by raising a white flag, placed to the right of goal.
A '45'/'65' is signalled by the umpire raising his/her outside arm. A 'square ball', when a player scores having arrived in the 'square' prior to receiving the ball, is signalled by pointing at the small parallelogram.
Each team consists of fifteen players, lining out as follows: One goalkeeper, three full-backs, three half-backs, two midfielders, three half-forwards and three full-forwards.
Goalkeeper
Right corner-back - Full-back - Left corner-back
Right half-back -Centre half-back - Left half-back
Midfielder - Midfielder
Right half-forward - Centre half-forward - Left half-forward
Right corner-forward - Full-forward Left - corner-forward
The first record of Gaelic football is in the Statutes of Galway (1527), which allowed the playing of football but banned hurling!
The games were played in a random and disorganised way, there was no central authority to draw up rules and organise competitions etc.
Those interested in sport tended to take up sports of foreign origin, mainly soccer (o bejaysus!).
In August 1884 Michael Cusack at a meeting in Loughrea, County Galway, outlined his plans to a group of local athletic enthusiasts to establish a national organisation for Irish athletes and to revive hurling.
On 1 November 1884 the Gaelic Athletic Association was founded at Hayes Hotel, Thurles, Co. Tipperary by Michael Cusack (Clare man, teacher, sportsman and nationalist) and Maurice Davin (Tipperary man who at the time was Irelands most famous athlete).
The first All Ireland football final was played at Clonskeagh between Louth and Limerick. These All Ireland matches were to become annual events.