Play The Game

Are you interested in playing gaelic football in Asia? Are you living close to one of the clubs mentioned on this site? Do you intend to move to Asia shortly and are interested in playing? Have you played the game before?

If you have never played the game before, don't worry. It's relatively a simple game to pick up, is great fun, fast and great for keeping in shape. Some describe it as an all round game of hand and foot skills with a round ball. Others describe it as a cross between soccer and rugby. Maybe so, but gaelic football predates both of these sports.

The first record of the sport appeared in the Statutes of Galway in 1527, and the earliest reported match took place at Slane, County Meath, in 1712. The game in its full form is played by two teams of fifteen on a pitch about 137 metres long and 87 metres wide, and the goalposts are the same as for rugby but with a slightly lower crossbar. However, as the name suggests, in Asia we play a lot of seven and ten a side games. Either way, the aim of the game is to manoeuvre the ball (round and slightly smaller than a soccer ball) by hand/fist/foot over the crossbar for one point or under the crossbar and into the net for three points.

The Asian Gaelic Football Sevens is the pinnacle gaelic games event of the year in Asia, but clubs regularly organise games, training, international rules games (against Australian Rules Clubs) and are a great outlet for social activity with an a very Irish feel. Most clubs in Asia are made of men and women from varying backgrounds and professions, of which only round half the members are Irish.

If you are interested in playing, you can contact one of the representatives from the clubs listed in the participants section of the website.

If you would like some help establishing a club in Asia, email one of the people listed in the contacts section of the website.