Geography of the GAA

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The following article provides a list of Gaelic games governing bodies, county boards and associations around the world. The principal governing body is the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA).

Contents

The two dominant sports of the Gaelic games are traditionally played in separate regions of Ireland. Hurling is traditionally played mainly in the provinces of Munster and Leinster, whereas football is played in every county and is dominant in Ulster and Connacht and certain parts of the other provinces.

The dominant sport in each county of Ireland Gaelic Games County Map.svg
The dominant sport in each county of Ireland

By continent

RankContinentNo. of Clubs Provincial boards County boards
1 Europe >2400540
2 North America 19203
3 Oceania 5201
4 Asia 3902
5 South America 500
6 Africa 300

By country

RankCountry / territoryNo. of Clubs
1Flag of Ireland.svg  Republic of Ireland 2,200
2Flag of the United States.svg  United States 144
3Flag of England.svg  England 78
4Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 70
5Flag of France.svg  France 34
6Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 28
7Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 24
8Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 11
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 11
10Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg  United Arab Emirates 9
11Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 7
12Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 6
Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland 6
14Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 5
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 5
16Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 4
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland 4
17Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 3
Flag of Russia.svg  Russia 3
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea 3
Flag of Vietnam.svg  Vietnam 3
18Flag of Austria.svg  Austria 2
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic 2
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 2
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 2
Flag of Malaysia.svg  Malaysia 2
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 2
19Flag of Bahrain.svg  Bahrain 1
Flag of Cambodia.svg  Cambodia 1
Flag of Croatia.svg  Croatia 1
Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia 1
Flag of Gibraltar.svg  Gibraltar 1
Flag of Guernsey.svg  Guernsey 1
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary 1
Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia 1
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 1
Flag of Jersey.svg  Jersey 1
Flag of Kuwait.svg  Kuwait 1
Flag of Luxembourg.svg  Luxembourg 1
Flag of Myanmar.svg  Myanmar 1
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1
Flag of Oman.svg  Oman 1
Flag of Poland.svg  Poland 1
Flag of Portugal (official).svg  Portugal 1
Flag of Qatar.svg  Qatar 1
Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg  Saudi Arabia 1
Flag of Singapore.svg  Singapore 1
Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia 1
Flag of the Republic of China.svg  Taiwan 1
Flag of Thailand.svg  Thailand 1
Flag of Uganda.svg  Uganda 1

By province

RankProvinceClubsCounties
1 Leinster 68512
2 Munster 6456
3 Ulster 5849
4 Connacht 2125
5 North America (unofficial province)1923
6Europe (unofficial province)1081
7 Britain 847
8Oceania (unofficial province)521
9Asia (unofficial province)392

By county

Rank County ClubsNotes
1 Colours of Cork.svg Cork 259Highest ranked Munster county
2 Colours of Dublin.svg Dublin 134Highest ranked Leinster county
3 Colors of New York.svg United States 123Highest ranked county outside Ireland
4 Colours of Antrim.svg Antrim 108Highest ranked Ulster county
Colours of Laois.svg Europe 108
6 Colours of Limerick.svg Limerick 101
7 Colours of Wexford.svg Wexford 93
8 Colours of Clare.svg Clare 84
9 Colours of Galway.svg Galway 80Highest ranked Connacht county
10 Colours of Kerry.svg Kerry 73
11 Colours of Tipperary.svg Tipperary 72
12 Colours of Down.svg Down 70
13 Colours of Tyrone.svg Tyrone 68
14 Colours of Donegal GAA.svg Donegal 63
15 Colours of Offaly.svg Offaly 61
16 Colours of Derry.svg Derry 60
17 Colours of Meath GAA.svg Meath 59
18 Colours of Cavan.svg Cavan 59
19 Colours of Kildare.svg Kildare 57
20 Colours of Armagh.svg Armagh 56
Colours of Waterford.svg Waterford 56Lowest ranked Munster county
22 Colours of Kerry.svg Australasia 52
23 Colours of Mayo.svg Mayo 50
Colours of Monaghan.svg Monaghan 50
25 Colours of Westmeath.svg Westmeath 47
26 Colours of Laois.svg Laois 46
27 Colours of Wicklow.svg Wicklow 45
28 Colours of Louth.svg Louth 42
29 Colours of Kilkenny.svg Kilkenny 41
Colors of New York.svg New York 41
31 Colours of Carlow.svg Carlow 33
32 Colours of London.svg London 32Highest ranked British county
Colours of Roscommon.svg Roscommon 32
34 First Flag of Argentina.svg Canada 28
35 Colours of Sligo.svg Sligo 26
36 Colours of Leitrim.svg Leitrim 24Lowest ranked Connacht county
37 Colours of Cork.svg Asia 23
Colours of Fermanagh.svg Fermanagh 23Lowest ranked Ulster county
39 Colours of Longford.svg Longford 22Lowest ranked Leinster county
40 Colours of Antrim.svg Middle East 16
41 Colours of Warwickshire.svg Warwickshire15
42 Colours of Kerry.svg Hertfordshire 9
43 Colours of Clare.svg Lancashire 8
44 Colours of Laois.svg Yorkshire 7
Colours of Kerry.svg Gloucestershire 7
46 Colours of Fingal.svg Scotland 6

By division

CountyNo.Divisions/regionsClubs
Cork 8 Avondhu 26
Beara 6
Carbery 27
Carrigdhoun 11
Duhallow 20
Imokilly 24
Muskerry 22
Seandún 26
Australasia 8Canterbury
New South Wales 16
Queensland 13
South Australia
Tasmania
Victoria 8
Wellington
Western Australia 6
Europe5Benelux15
Central-East25
Iberia25
Nordic11
North-West33
Tipperary 4Mid Tipperary
North Tipperary
South Tipperary
West Tipperary
Kerry 5 East Kerry 14
Mid Kerry 6
North Kerry
South Kerry 16
West Kerry 5
Canada 3Eastern Division8
Toronto Division14
Western Division18

Europe

The continent of Europe has 5 provinces and 40 county boards:

Ireland

The island of Ireland has 4 provinces and 32 county boards (the historic four provinces of Ireland set in 1610):

Munster GAA

The province of Munster has 6 county boards:

The traditional hurling-football divide in Munster runs along a line from Tubber in north County Clare through Corofin to Labasheeda. Across the Shannon in County Limerick the line divides the footballing territory in the hilly west Limerick from the hurling territory in the lush lowlands of east and central Limerick. In County Cork the line also divides east from west, starting at Mallow and extending south towards the city of Cork and on to the coast. Further west beyond the footballing west Cork is the almost entirely footballing territory in County Kerry, with only a very small hurling region north of Tralee in Ardfert, Ballyheigue and Causeway. The entire counties of Tipperary and Waterford are considered to be traditionally hurling regions. [1]

Leinster GAA

The province of Leinster has 12 county boards:

In Leinster the traditional hurling region is located in the south west of the province. The entire County Kilkenny is considered hurling territory, with very little football activity. Most of County Wexford is in the hurling region along with Counties Carlow, Laois and Offaly. The other Leinster counties are considered footballing counties.[ citation needed ]

Connacht GAA

The province of Connacht has 5 county boards:

Connacht is almost entirely Gaelic football territory, with only Galway competing in the Liam MacCarthy Cup. In County Galway the hurling-football divide follows a line from Galway City to Ballinasloe. The divide in Galway probably stands out more than in other counties. The hurling territory in Galway stands out strongly from the rest of the province; as a result, the Galway team plays in the Leinster Championship. Another very small hurling region is in eastern County Mayo around Ballyhaunis.[ citation needed ]

Ulster GAA

The province of Ulster has 9 county boards:

Ulster is also almost entirely a footballing region; the hurling region is located in the Glens of Antrim. [2] and on the Ards Peninsula in eastern County Down.

Britain

The island of Britain has 1 province and 7 county boards:

British GAA

London enters a team in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship via the Connacht Senior Football Championship.

Warwickshire has had some success in hurling at a junior level.

Lancashire fielded a team in the National Hurling League for the first time in 2018.

Gaelic Games Europe

This is the governing body in continental Europe.

German clubs formed a union in Berlin in 2015 known as the Deutscher Bund Gälischer Sportarten.

North America

The continent of North America has 1 province and 3 county boards:

Canada

The Canadian GAA oversees Gaelic games across Canada.

United States

The New York GAA administrates in the New York metropolitan area. A county team participates in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship via the Connacht Senior Football Championship, where it occasionally provides a challenge for opponents. Despite suffering the loss of two players to sendings off early in the second half, New York gave Galway a scare in 2010, though eventually capitulating by 2-13 to 0-12. [3] A late burst in 2016 took New York to within one point of opponents Roscommon, which had contested the National Football League Division 1 semi-finals only one month earlier. [4]

The USGAA oversees the rest of the country.

Oceania

The continent of Oceania has 1 county board:

Australasia

The Australasia GAA oversees Gaelic games in Australia and New Zealand. It also oversees inter-state matches in Australia.

Asia

The continent of Asia has 2 county boards:

Asian GAA

The Asian GAA oversees Gaelic games across Asia, but also Oceania (with the exception of Australia and New Zealand, which is overseen by the Australasian GAA).

Middle East GAA

The Middle Eastern Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Middle East GAA is one of the international county boards, and is responsible for organising Gaelic games in the Middle East.

See also

References

  1. "The Geography of Hurling (1:1)". Archived from the original on 3 October 2018. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  2. "The Present Hurling Region". www.askaboutireland.ie.
  3. "New York 0-12 Galway 2-13". RTÉ. 2 May 2010. Retrieved 14 June 2011.
  4. Breheny, Martin; Verney, Michael (6 May 2017). "Sligo on high alert over New York threat". Irish Independent.