Introduction

The research explores the importance of sports in Ireland and specifically Gaelic sports. The choice of the topic was influenced by the high involvement of sports among many people in Ireland. In fact, most of the sporting events are done at a national level thus pooling many fans and players alike. Additionally, the country is renowned for its version of Gaelic sports which is unique to the country alone. The genre of sports includes football and hurling with the former being the most popular among Irish nationals (Mendlowitz, 2007, pp 36). The choice of the topic was therefore an easy task owing to the importance attached to this genre of sports by a majority of the Irish nationals. Moreover, the uniqueness of the Gaelic sports was an influencing factor in the choice of the research topic.

Sports are widely regarded as an important cultural aspect in Ireland. Specifically, its ability to unite different factions of the society is important for both entertainment and national cohesion. There are very many sports that are played in Ireland including soccer, rugby and tennis. However, Gaelic sports form the most unique sports in Ireland and mainly include football and hurling. The importance of sports in uniting people in Ireland is a widely recognized fact as is evidenced in the participation of Gaelic sports.

The role of sports in impacting the social lives of different people cannot be assumed. In particular, Gaelic sports among other different sports have been acknowledged for their role in uniting the Irish nationals. The ability of sports to pull people together is one of the key factors in uniting people from different regions of the country.  For instance, people from all over the country attend the national rugby events thereby uniting people in the process. Moreover, sports in Ireland have been exploited to advance social courses such as sensitization campaigns against social ills. In some cases, sports are used to raise funds and the same channeled to prioritized projects aimed at helping the poor and the less privileged in society. Eventually, sports in Ireland are important in helping unite Irish nationals to fight off national evils and wrongs.

The existence of Gaelic sports dates for tens of centuries and can be traced from way back when it was referred to as Caid. In particular, Gaelic football is a darling among the Irish nationals because it represents the culture and traditions of the people. Ever since its invention, and formalization by the Gaelic Athletic Association, it is the most attended sports events. The reason for the high number of participants is perhaps a pointer to the cultural importance that the people associate with the sport. Although Gaelic football is played at an amateur level, it has the ability to uplift the livelihood of players through grants and sponsorship. In fact, most of the players participate on the basis of volunteering and do so for entertainment and fun.

The importance of sports in Ireland and specifically Gaelic sports provides a vast area of research. The uniqueness of the sports is an area that has been researched to great lengths over the recent past. In addition, the importance of Gaelic sports in uniting the Irish nationals is an important aspect of the sports culture in Ireland. The cultural importance of Gaelic football for instance is evidence of the value that Irish nationals attach to sports.

References

MENDLOWITZ, A. (2007). Ireland’s professional amateurs: a sports season at its purest. New York, iUniverse, Inc.

Do you need an Original High Quality Academic Custom Essay?