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Sport on the island of Ireland is popular and widespread. Levels of participation and spectating are high, but as in other western regions participation has been dropping due to the increasing popularity of other activities such as watching Television and playing Computer Games . Throughout the country a wide variety of sports are played, the most popular being Gaelic Football , Hurling , Rugby Union , Soccer and Field Hockey . By attendance figures Gaelic football is the most popular sport in Ireland. In Ireland many sports, such as rugby union, Gaelic football and hurling, are organised in an all-island basis, with a single team representing Ireland in international competitions. Other sports, such as soccer, have separate organising bodies in Northern Ireland and the Republic Of Ireland . At the Olympics , a person from Northern Ireland can choose to represent either the Ireland or Great Britain team. TRADITIONAL SPORTS Listed Alphabetically Equestrianism The various Equestrian sports have a sizeable following in Ireland. Thanks to generous tax treatment, many of the world's best race horses retire to Ireland to stud. The local industry produces many top race horses every year. Ireland's top track is Fairyhouse . Horse jumping also has quite a good following in Ireland, however the exposure of Cian O'Connor as a drug-cheat at the 2004 Summer Olympics has deeply damaged the sport. Football Known as football or if the context is uncertain soccer to avoid confuseion with Gaelic Football, is one of the most popular sports in Ireland. Despite low match attendance at domestic league games, many people have a passionate interest in the English FA Premier League . Soccer is played at all levels, with kids playing it on the street, teenagers playing in local clubs, and even-middle aged men playing it with co-workers on a regular basis. The national body in the Republic is the Football Association Of Ireland (FAI) while the national body in Northern Ireland is the Irish Football Association (IFA). The domestic leagues are the Football League Of Ireland (in the Republic) and the Irish Football League (Northern Ireland). Some of the major teams in Ireland include Cork City F.C. , Shelbourne FC and the Bohemians in the Republic and Linfield FC and Glentoran FC in the North. Due to the small size of the domestic game, most of Ireland's top footballers, such as Damien Duff , Robbie Keane and Roy Keane , play in the leagues of larger European countries, particularly in England and Scotland . This is one of the reasons why Irish people tend to support foreign clubs such as Manchester United , Celtic , Chelsea . Rarely does a player from the Republic's domestic league make the national team, the most recent of these being Jason Byrne in 2003, although occasional appearances of Irish League players for Northern Ireland have been known. On the international stage, the Republic Of Ireland - despite never winning a major tournament - have had many successful games in recent years - notably drawing with Brazil and Portugal . Northern Ireland's International Team , despite a poor run of form in the late 1990s and first few years of the 21st century, and a corrspeonding slump in the FIFA rankings, has also managed a draw with Portugal and famously defeated England in a World Cup Qualifier at Windsor Park on 7th September, both in 2005. The Milk Cup is a successful international youth tournament held annually in Northern Ireland, in which clubs and national teams from anywhere in the World may compete. Northern Ireland also played host to the 2005 UEFA Under-19 European Championships. The Setanta Cup was set up by it's sponsors, television channel " Setanta Ireland ". It is an all-island knock out style tournament featuring eight teams, four being from the League of Ireland and four from the Irish league. Despite fairly low turnouts for each juridictions leagues, the Setanta Cup drew relatively successful gate receipts. Gaelic football logo; GAA disciplines dominate the national sporting scene.]] Though it has existed for centuries in Ireland, Gaelic Football was formally arranged into an organised playing code by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) in the late nineteenth century. Gaelic football is the most popular sport in Ireland, attendance at matches in the senior championship in the summer can reach 82,500. The game is played at underage, minor and senior levels. All players are amateur (they are not paid to participate) but they often train just as hard and as frequently as professionals in other sports. There is great pride associated with playing for a county team in Ireland. The main national competitions are the Senior All-Ireland Football Championships and the National Football League. There are many rivalries within the game in Ireland - an example is that between Meath and Westmeath . Gaelic football allows plenty of hand contact with the football, as such the game is faster and arguably more athletic than soccer. Gaelic handball Handball , once very popular in Ireland, has lost much of its popularity over the years to other sports such as Gaelic football and soccer, and many Handball Alleys throughout Ireland are in a state of neglect. Ireland still produces top class handballers, but, lacking any international competitive level (except against the United States ), the sport has not gained much media coverage in recent years. The sport is governed by the GAA. Greyhound racing Greyhound Racing began in Ireland in 1927 ; there were greyhound races in Celtic Park in Belfast on 18 April of that year and the Shelbourne Park greyhound stadium opened in Dublin four weeks later. Hare Coursing was already a well established sport in the country and greyhounds were bred for racing in Ireland from the very start. The great Mick The Miller , winner of the English Derby in 1929 and 1930 , was an Irish greyhound and Ireland continues to export greyhounds. There are now twenty licensed greyhound stadiums in Ireland. There are seventeen in the Republic where the licensing authority is Bord Na GCon , the Irish Greyhound Board. This is a semi-state body and was established by the Irish Government in 1958 . The three stadiums in Northern Ireland are licensed by the Irish Coursing Club , which also organises hare coursing throughout the Island. Once seen as a sport in decline, the popularity of greyhound racing has surged since 1995 and several million Euro are now bet "at the dogs" annually. Bord na gCon has invested substantial amounts of money in developing and marketing the sport, prize money has increased and greyhound stadiums have been refurbished, helping the sport sell itself as a social event. It is now common for families and groups of friends or colleagues to go for "a night at the dogs" instead of to the cinema, the pub or a nightclub. Dogs are generally owned by syndicates. Prize money ranges from a few hundred euro to several thousand for top dogs. The annual Paddy Power Irish Greyhound Derby run each year in August at Shelbourne Park is one of the richest greyhound races in the world. Hurling Hurling is a sport native to Ireland. The game is similar to Hockey , but is played on a large pitch and is considerably faster. Hurling is especially popular among the young, and most Primary and Secondary School s have hurling teams. On a senior level, teams are organised by Parish , and players of different parishes form the County team. All counties aim is to win the All-Ireland Hurling Final , held in September of each year. The most recent winner of the final was Cork . Hurling is managed by the GAA. Unlike football, which is fairly evenly spread throughout the country, hurling is much stronger in Munster, Galway and the south of Leinster. Road Bowling Irish Road Bowling is an ancient sport. It is centered in Ireland but is also played in the United States and the United Kingdom. Similar sports are played in Holland, Germany and Italy and since the 1960s the sport has enjoyed a genuine international dimension (unlike the Gaelic football/Australian Rules confection) with an international championship being played on a regular basis by athletes from all these countries. Rugby union See Also: Rugby union in Ireland Rugby Union is common throughout Ireland, but is especially popular in Munster ( County Limerick is known as the home of Irish rugby union), Ulster and south County Dublin . Rugby union is played at club, province and national levels. The Ireland National Team is composed of players from both Northern Ireland and the Republic, and the Irish Rugby Football Union governs the sport throughout the island. School rugby union is generally only played at secondary level. Notable rugby union schools include Clongowes Wood College , Belvedere College , Blackrock College and CBC . Recent success at international level and the establishment of four professional teams has increased interest in rugby union as a spectator sport in Ireland. OTHER SPORTS Athletics , Ron Delany and Sonia O'Sullivan . Despite these past successes, the sport suffers from low media attention and dropping interest due to the sheer popularity of other sports and past underinvestment. Australian rules Australian Rules in Ireland has a very small following, however due to the International Rules series that takes place annually between Australia and Ireland, interest in the sport has increased. In October 2000, the Australian Rules Football League Of Ireland was established, and a representative Irish team took part in the 2005 Australian Football International Cup {Link without Title} . The Irish Green Machine became inaugural International champions in 2002. The sport first gained exposure in when former Gaelic football Jim Stynes moved to Australia to play AFL and in 1991 became the first Gaelic footballer to win the Brownlow Medal . In the 2005 AFL Grand Final , Tadhg Kennelly (son of Tim Kennelly ) became the first Irishman to be part of a premiership-winning side, with the Sydney Swans . Australian journalist Andrew Maher flew out to Ireland with Kennelly's family to watch the game on television with them. Recent exposure however has been negative, due to a spiteful 2005 International Rules series and calls from the GAA to ban it and the active poaching of talented junior Gaelic players by AFL clubs like the Brisbane Lions . The AFL has since agreed to change the rules for the series and to limit the number of Gaelic players drafted, which may also slow growth of Australian rules in Ireland. ''See also VFL/AFL Players From Ireland .'' Basketball . The sport receives small amounts of media attention, with a few games broadcast on television annually - usually when there is no Gaelic football or soccer on. Basketball is mainly driven by school, college and club support. Combat sports Combat sports have had mixed fortunes in recent years. boxer Andy Lee looked like winning a medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics ; however he eventually lost and interest in the sport receded. Cricket See Also: Irish cricket team Cricket in Ireland is something of a minority sport, and all players are amateurs, but the game is showing signs of development. It has been played in Ireland since the early 19th Century , and the game against Scotland (a match which has First-class Status ) has been played annually since 1909 . The Irish team was fairly strong in the mid and late 19th century, and sent several touring parties abroad, but development of the sport was adversely affected first by the GAA 's ban on its members taking part in "foreign" sports and then by the creation of the Irish Free State ; many of the best cricketers in Ireland had been British Soldiers and civil servants and their withdrawal led to a decline in the overall standard of the game. There have been brighter spots in recent years, however. Dublin-born . Ireland has entered some domestic English tournaments since the early 1980s , but becoming an Associate Member of the International Cricket Council in 1993 paved the way for participation in international competition, and indeed the 2005 ICC Trophy was hosted by Ireland. The Irish finished second in the tournament, beaten by Scotland . Dublin also hosted one game of the 1999 World Cup . Cycling , who won both the Tour De France and Giro D'Italia in 1987 ; and Sean Kelly , who won the Vuelta A España in 1988 , the sprinter's Green Jersey in the Tour de France four times, and numerous single-day classics. Scuba Diving Ireland, being an island on the western edge of Europe and on the Continental Shelf , is perfectly suited for the sport of SCUBA Diving . Ireland's waters provide Dive Sites of various qualities and standards to encompass all individual requirements. Because of its small size it is relatively easy to travel from one part of the country to another; giving divers the opportunity to travel for one or more days diving. The dive season in Ireland generally starts around March and ends around October . It is possible of course, to dive outside of this, but due to adverse weather and sea conditions it is not appealing. Diving started in Ireland in the early 1950s with the founding of the Belfast Branch of the ). This voluntary body regulates all aspects of diving for its members and represents Ireland at the Confédération Mondiale Des Activités Subaquatiques . There are also about 40 dive centres affiliated to the Professional Association Of Diving Instructors (PADI), mostly along the West coast. Field hockey Field Hockey is quite popular as a participative sport in Ireland. It is played throughout the country, particularly in secondary schools. , just one of the many coastal golf courses throughout Ireland]] There are many hockey clubs throughout the country. The main body in Ireland is the Irish Hockey Association . Golf will be the venue for the 2006 Ryder Cup . Ireland has produced several top golfers in recent years, with Padraig Harrington , Paul McGinley and Darren Clarke all achieving significant success internationally. Snooker and pool Snooker and Pool hold some interest in Ireland, with significant media coverage of most major international tournaments. Despite being home to one of the world's most successful snooker players ( Ken Doherty ), both snooker and pool are in decline in Ireland as major sports. They retain popularity in pubs, but many of the country's snooker/pool halls have closed in recent years including Jason's of Ranelagh . see Irish Snooker Homepage Triathlon The . Racket sports Tennis , Badminton and Squash are quite popular in Ireland. Tennis has a growing following, with Tennis Ireland , the governing body running several competitions between the some 200 clubs throughout Ireland. Badminton in Ireland is run by the BUI . Squash, which exploded in the 1970s and 1980s has been in decline for several years, but despite this there remain several clubs throughout the country. Water sports Water sports practised in Ireland include Canoeing , Swimming , Surfing , Diving , Water Polo , Sailing , Kayaking , and Scuba Diving . Whilst many people participate in these, few do so competitively. Ireland has had only one Olympic medalist in swimming, Michelle Smith , and her medals have since been tarnished by Drug allegations. The National Aquatic Centre was opened in Ireland in 2003 and held the European SC Championships in December 2003 - the first time the country hosted such a competition. At the competition, Ireland won its first medal at the European SC Championships ever, a silver in the 200m Breaststroke by Andrew Bree . Swim Ireland is the national governing body of swimming in Ireland. COMPETITIONS AND EVENTS National The various GAA discipline finals are easily the largest sporting events regularly held in Ireland, in both terms of attendance and media coverage. The biggest national sporting event in Ireland is the final of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship , held annually in Croke Park , usually in September. It usually attracts a sell out crowd of 82,500 to croke park. Many of the matches in the championship attract crowds of 50,000+, depending on who is playing. Aside from the GAA, the biggest Multi-sport Event held in Ireland regularly is the Community Games . The games are organised every year from a local level, where hundreds of thousands of young people compete indifferent disciplines such as athletics, swimming, cycling etc., in the first half of the year. Winners progress to county level, and then to the Community Games finals. The finals are held over two weekends in the summer where over 3,000 children sleep over at a campus facility such as Mosney (which was used until 2004.) International On an international level, Ireland has had mixed fortunes. Ireland has been particularly successful in recent years in Rugby , Horse Racing , Showjumping , Snooker , and Golf . However, several scandals have arisen in recent years which have tarnished Ireland's international participation. In 2002 , Roy Keane , one of Ireland's top international footballers, quit the national squad during the run-up to the World Cup after a bitter and public falling-out with coach Mick McCarthy . Ireland's main swimming body, Swim Ireland , has been involved in damaging child sex abuse scandals and a legal battle with the new CEO, Sarah Keane. There was widespread criticism of the lack of infrastructure and poor resources available to top athletes at the time of the Olympics. Ten Irish people have won Olympic medals, most recently Cian O'Connor who won a gold for Showjumping . At the 2004 Summer Olympics , Ireland had one of its smallest contingents in its history at the games, with only 106 individuals participating. This was due to the strict policy followed by the Olympic Council Of Ireland of only allowing ''A'' time athletes and swimmers to attend the games. This prevented several sportspeople from competing. One of the biggest international events in Ireland is international soccer. The Republic's national team has punched above its weight in recent years, qualifying for the 2002 World Cup , and performing well against such teams as Brazil and Portugal . In rugby union, Ireland's National Team has been ranked in the top five teams regularly over the last few years, and has produced major stars such as Keith Wood and Brian O'Driscoll . In golf, Ireland is home to several top golfers such as Padraig Harrington . The traditional Gaelic Games of Gaelic Football and Hurling are played by Irish expats, with increasingly local involvement in communities around the world, however no nation has enough players to compete with Ireland. To compensate for this the GAA has entered into a partnership with the Australian Football League (Australian rules football) and plays a hybrid annual series called International Rules Football - this series has been going in various forms since 1967. Also the GAA plays an international Hurling hybrid match with Scotland's national Shinty team ( Shinty is an ancient Celtic field sport of stick and ball similar to Hurling). In 2003 , Ireland hosted the Special Olympics , which was the biggest sporting event ever held in the country. In 2006 , Ireland will host the Ryder Cup Matches . In December 2003, Ireland hosted the European SC Championships 2003 . STADIA Ireland boasts the fourth largest stadium in Europe. Croke Park in Dublin can hold 82,500 people. Until recently it was only used for GAA games. Soccer and rugby are played at Lansdowne Road which can accommodate approximately 35,000 people for soccer and 50,000 for rugby union (the difference is because standing-room terraces cannot be used for international soccer but can be used for rugby union). Further to the stadia already mentioned there are several facilities throughout the country capable of accommodating between 10,000 and 50,000 people such as Semple Stadium Thurles , Gaelic Grounds Limerick and Páirc Uí Chaoimh Cork . Ireland currently has three Olympic sized swimming pools - two of which are open to the public, the largest; located at Sports Campus Ireland , is the National Aquatic Centre . Ireland has several large horse and greyhound tracks such as Fairyhouse . A project to rebuild Lansdowne Road to create a modern stadium with an all-seated capacity of 50,000 will begin shortly and will be complete in 2008 . The UK government is currently developing controversial plans to develop a national stadium for Northern Ireland at the site of the former Maze Prison in County Antrim . The stadium was proposed to host rugby, football and GAA games, however the move is opposed by a majority of football supporters according to a survey run by the Amalgamation of Northern Ireland supporters clubs. Alternative plans from private consortia have emerged to build a stadium in Belfast , Northern Ireland's biggest city. MEDIA COVERAGE
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