Ladies' Gaelic football
Encyclopedia
Ladies' Gaelic football is a team sport for women, very similar to Gaelic football
, and co-ordinated by the Ladies' Gaelic Football Association
. It is increasing in popularity in other countries around the world, often by members of the Irish diaspora
.
, where two teams of 15 players kick or punch a round ball towards goals at either end of a grass pitch. There are two main competitions in this sport; the National League which is staged during the winter-spring months and is used as a warm-up to the All-Ireland Championship which is played during the summer. The All-Ireland Final is played on the last Sunday in September or the first Sunday in October in Croke Park
, Dublin, where the winners receive the Brendan Martin Cup
. The National League and Championship are organised by the Ladies' Gaelic Football Association
.
Brampton Roger Casements
The Casements are a young women's team working on the development of the game in the Toronto region
Western Canada Division
Calgary Chieftains
The Chieftainettes have competed in the west and are currently supporting the development of Celtic games.
Edmonton Wolfe Tones
The team of the decade thus far in Western Canada, having won the Western Canadian Championships 3 times out of the 4 played.
Vancouver Harps
In 2007 they became the first team other than the Edmonton ladies to win the Championship.
Winners of the 2007 Junior B North American Gaelic Football Championship
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
, and co-ordinated by the Ladies' Gaelic Football Association
Ladies' Gaelic Football Association
The Ladies Gaelic Football Association is the organisation which promotes and regulates ladies' Gaelic football in Ireland.The association has also selected the Ireland women's international rules football team, which will play the Australia women's international rules football team in...
. It is increasing in popularity in other countries around the world, often by members of the Irish diaspora
Irish diaspora
thumb|Night Train with Reaper by London Irish artist [[Brian Whelan]] from the book Myth of Return, 2007The Irish diaspora consists of Irish emigrants and their descendants in countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, Mexico, South Africa,...
.
Play
The game is very similar to the male form of Gaelic footballGaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
, where two teams of 15 players kick or punch a round ball towards goals at either end of a grass pitch. There are two main competitions in this sport; the National League which is staged during the winter-spring months and is used as a warm-up to the All-Ireland Championship which is played during the summer. The All-Ireland Final is played on the last Sunday in September or the first Sunday in October in Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
, Dublin, where the winners receive the Brendan Martin Cup
Brendan Martin Cup
The All-Ireland Senior Ladies' Football Championship the premier "knockout" competition in the game of Ladies' Gaelic football played by women in Ireland...
. The National League and Championship are organised by the Ladies' Gaelic Football Association
Ladies' Gaelic Football Association
The Ladies Gaelic Football Association is the organisation which promotes and regulates ladies' Gaelic football in Ireland.The association has also selected the Ireland women's international rules football team, which will play the Australia women's international rules football team in...
.
Differences from men's football
Although most of the rules of the game are parallel to those for men's Gaelic football, there are some differences. The main ones are:- A player may pick the ball up directly from the ground, so long as she is standing
- All matches last 60 minutes; in the men's game, senior inter-county games last 70
- Kickouts may be taken from the hand
- A countdown clock with siren is used if available; in the men's game, the referee decides the end of the game
- It is permitted to change the ball from one hand to the other
- All deliberate bodily contact is forbidden except when "shadowing" an opponent, competing to catch the ball, or blocking the delivery of the ball.
- A smaller size 4 gaelic ball is used compared to the size 5 ball used in the men's game.
Canada
Toronto DivisionBrampton Roger Casements
The Casements are a young women's team working on the development of the game in the Toronto region
Western Canada Division
Calgary Chieftains
Calgary Chieftains
The Calgary Chieftains are an Gaelic football club based in Calgary, Canada. They play at the Calgary Canadian Irish Athletic Club grounds and are members of Western Divisional Board of the Canadian County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association....
The Chieftainettes have competed in the west and are currently supporting the development of Celtic games.
Edmonton Wolfe Tones
Edmonton Wolfe Tones
The Edmonton Wolfe Tones are a Gaelic football club based in Edmonton, AB, Canada. They play during the summer months with a very active and vibrant group of people involved. The Wolfe Tones are members of Western Divisional Board of the Canadian County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association.Jack...
The team of the decade thus far in Western Canada, having won the Western Canadian Championships 3 times out of the 4 played.
Vancouver Harps
Vancouver Harps
The Vancouver Harps are a Gaelic football and Hurling club based in Vancouver, Canada. They club represents the Vancouver Irish Sporting & Social Club...
In 2007 they became the first team other than the Edmonton ladies to win the Championship.
United States
Seattle GaelsWinners of the 2007 Junior B North American Gaelic Football Championship
Europe
- Austria
- Belgium
- France
- Germany
- Great Britain
- Holland
- Hungary
- Italy
- Luxembourg
- Portugal
- Spain