I know that in large parts of North Donegal, soccer is more popular than gaelic. Is this unique for a RURAL area or does this happen anywhere else in the country
There's nowhere in Donegal that soccer is more popular than football. Donegal always draws big crowds. I'm sure there are places where there are more soccer clubs that football clubs but that has more to do with the fact that if you can get 10 or 11 people together you can form a soccer club. That's nothing to do with popularity.
Not alot of people know this. I am from North Sligo(rural) and there are 5 junior soccer clubs to 2 GAA clubs. Also there are over 20 junior soccer clubs and Sligo Rovers FC in Sligo Town and only 2 GAA clubs. So soccer is stronger in the town and North Sligo. When I say North Sligo I am referring to Drumcliffe/Rosses Point and St Molaise Gaels. I would say Sligo has one of the smallest pools of players to chose from in the entire country. Thanks to South and Central Sligo for most of our players. I am one of these that would put county first above club and way ahead of soccer.
Never understood people who have more allegience to their county than their club. around armagh those people are usually teenagers and their mothers and eejits who never had any interest in football of any kindtil 2002.
Quote from: Star Spangler on June 21, 2007, 02:09:19 PM
There's nowhere in Donegal that soccer is more popular than football. Donegal always draws big crowds. I'm sure there are places where there are more soccer clubs that football clubs but that has more to do with the fact that if you can get 10 or 11 people together you can form a soccer club. That's nothing to do with popularity.
Try watching GAA in a pub in Donegal when Celtic are on the box!!
QuoteNever understood people who have more allegience to their county than their club.
Me neither but there are loads of them.
Well you play with a club where politics is more important than how good you are you tend to distance yourself from it. St Molaise Gaels is Cliffoney, Grange, Maugherow used all to be seperate and hated each other and then we emalagmated. Just dont feel that much a part of it. No real homely feel or togetherness with my club. Definitly county first for me. Doesnt bother me when my club lose or win although I do still go to matches.
An Awful lot of 'County' men around Armagh, can not see the sense at all. Just can not fathom how it is possible?
Quote from: Star Spangler on June 21, 2007, 02:09:19 PM
There's nowhere in Donegal that soccer is more popular than football. Donegal always draws big crowds. I'm sure there are places where there are more soccer clubs that football clubs but that has more to do with the fact that if you can get 10 or 11 people together you can form a soccer club. That's nothing to do with popularity.
Exactly, there may be quite a few soccer clubs in Donegal, but there membership levels are small, in Gaoth Dobhair there is one GAA club and at least 3 soccer clubs, the combined membership of the soccer clubs isn't even near a fifth of the GAA club. I'm sure this is the case all over. GAA clubs have much bigger memberships and fewer clubs then say soccer in some areas but the soccer clubs have fewer members. (think i've just repeated myself! :-[).
As for Celtic, yes they are VERY popular in the North/North West of Donegal, but the ties between this area and Glasgow are immense, every family there would have a link with Glasgow. But the same people will be out watching their local club or Donegal at the weekend.
Don't accept the 'lie' that soccer is more popular. Never have. Isn't so. Soccer 'clubs' are a collection of 11 lads. GAA CLubs are much bigger than that, comprising 100s of people in many clubs and certainly lots more than 11 pub soccer players in almost every parish.
Its a myth that soccer is more popular. Surprised the GAA never too issue with such claims.
Quote from: Uladh on June 21, 2007, 02:37:53 PM
Never understood people who have more allegience to their county than their club. around armagh those people are usually teenagers and their mothers and eejits who never had any interest in football of any kindtil 2002.
I think (maybe Im wrong) Townies like myself tend to be more County Orientated and lads from the Country tend to be more Club Oriented. Clubs in general but not exclusivly tend to have smaller bases in the towns, yet the towns are full of GAA fanatics who often ignore the town team 90% of the time, I would be more a County man myself, but whenever I go to Mitchells matches I notice at home games more than often we are outnumbered by a parish of 20 people (exageration of course)
Quote from: Fishead_Sam on June 21, 2007, 03:49:51 PM
Quote from: Uladh on June 21, 2007, 02:37:53 PM
Never understood people who have more allegience to their county than their club. around armagh those people are usually teenagers and their mothers and eejits who never had any interest in football of any kindtil 2002.
I think (maybe Im wrong) Townies like myself tend to be more County Orientated and lads from the Country tend to be more Club Oriented. Clubs in general but not exclusivly tend to have smaller bases in the towns, yet the towns are full of GAA fanatics who often ignore the town team 90% of the time, I would be more a County man myself, but whenever I go to Mitchells matches I notice at home games more than often we are outnumbered by a parish of 20 people (exageration of course)
Have to say I disagree with that, I would bet 99% of active club members at my club would rather the club achieve success than the county, not saying they don't follow the county but the club is were their heart and soul is.
There's another category - I belong to it. I've been gone from my native locality for over 25 years, so I've lost effective contact with my home club. Of course, I still like to see them do well, but I'm not in regular contact, rarely get to see their games, wouldn't know the players etc.
I just can't give the same level of allegiance to the club I'm a runner-in to. The depth of feeling wouldn't (couldn't) be there. The young lad is a player, but I don't get directly involved.
I'm just wandering in the desert, really and I miss the passionate involvement with a club, completely understand the lads here who have it and envy them for it. But at this stage, for me, an All-Ireland for Meath would mean much more than a county championship for either of "my" clubs.
Should I go and show myself to the priests?
Yes Hardy, yes you should.
QuoteI've been gone from my native locality for over 25 years
Surely then Hardy you'd be cheering on the langers once the Royals are out of contention!!! ;)
Quote from: Hardy on June 21, 2007, 04:09:31 PM
Should I go and show myself to the priests?
That has led many a man down a very dark path hardy...
I must be one of the strange ones. I am actively involved in my club, PRO and occassionally help my brother train the under 10's. Go to all the matches etc, but to be honest I would always put my county first and would have assumed most do because alot of friends and family do.
Quote from: Spiritof98 on June 21, 2007, 04:03:03 PM
Quote from: Fishead_Sam on June 21, 2007, 03:49:51 PM
Quote from: Uladh on June 21, 2007, 02:37:53 PM
Never understood people who have more allegience to their county than their club. around armagh those people are usually teenagers and their mothers and eejits who never had any interest in football of any kindtil 2002.
I think (maybe Im wrong) Townies like myself tend to be more County Orientated and lads from the Country tend to be more Club Oriented. Clubs in general but not exclusivly tend to have smaller bases in the towns, yet the towns are full of GAA fanatics who often ignore the town team 90% of the time, I would be more a County man myself, but whenever I go to Mitchells matches I notice at home games more than often we are outnumbered by a parish of 20 people (exageration of course)
Have to say I disagree with that, I would bet 99% of active club members at my club would rather the club achieve success than the county, not saying they don't follow the county but the club is were their heart and soul is.
You dont actually say if you are small town big town or country or even large city yourself, so club may mean different things in different places. I actually have to say I get a better club feal from the club I am a member of in Dublin than my old home club, maybe its just lost contact. But I always noticed lads from the country tend to be far more pasionate about their club, but not necessarrily more knowlegable, or play more or even attend more games or life any more or less revolving around the GAA.
Armagh Harps from the might big smoke in Armagh City, one of the biggest clubs in the county
98 just out of interest then who are Armagh Cuchulianns
Quote
Surely then Hardy you'd be cheering on the langers once the Royals are out of contention!!! ;)
You can't imagine how impossible that would be!
QuoteThat has led many a man down a very dark path hardy...
You're right :o
What about poor souls myself who actively support two counties ???
Quote from: thebandit on June 21, 2007, 05:52:41 PM
What about poor souls myself who actively support two counties ???
you sir, should be put in a bag as every unwanted litter is and weighted tight til a heavy rock....
I agree how can you actively support 2 counties. I remember shedding a genuine tear when Mc Geeney walked the steps, and as I stood there cheering on the tangerine party a fellow Tyrone man beside me told me to catch myself on and get out of the ground before the rabble. As I travelled under bridges through Dundalk that day and into Newry I was probably the first car home. I waved and beeped my car horn and the crowds cheerd and waved flags in my direction. I must have been 5 minutes before any car. I was like a soldier returning from the war - as brave and travelled an Armagh man as could be. I took all the street plaudits for Armaghs win, surely - I wasnt going to tell the lads I was a Tyrone man who had nipped off early, I didnt want to ruin anything, but when I crossed the border into the Moy My cheeks turned rosy and I satrted to breathe again. I was back in Gods county - Like any Tyrone man - who knew what was going to happen - if we could ever reach or even surpass those great heights that Armagh had, but one thing was for sure I had my own county and I was going to keep the faith. Total faith!
(apologies to any Armagh folk who hung over bridges and waved flags at me with my fist bating the top of the motor - as opposed to being an Armagh war veteran I was a Tyrone man trying to get ahead of the traffic.)
Quote from: rosnarun on June 21, 2007, 04:33:03 PM
98 just out of interest then who are Armagh Cuchulianns
That would be the Armagh city hurling club?
Having moved away from home at 18 and having been travelling from home to home all over the joint in more than one country I have more of an allegiance to the county than to any club. I find it hard to believe than some find it hard to believe people can have that priority to their county. Feckin bumpkins.
I was born under a wandering star.
Quote from: ONeill on June 21, 2007, 09:24:24 PM
Having moved away from home at 18 and having been travelling from home to home all over the joint in more than one country I have more of an allegiance to the county than to any club. I find it hard to believe than some find it hard to believe people can have that priority to their county. Feckin bumpkins.
I was born under a wandering star.
I might have the same reason, 8 years living in County Galway 5 in County Dublin, really makes your County Identity really come out in ya especially as the only Mayoman in the Village (went to national school in the Heart of Galway football - Tuam) Back in the late 1980's I was the only child happy on the monday after Mayo bate Galway as was always the case the few years I lived there, really made me hard-core Mayoman living in Tuam from the age of 4-7, it was a case of Assimilate or Retaliate, I retaliated by drawing Green & Red on everything I owned. Lived in Galway in College too, but that was during the 2 All-Ireland wins & 1 loss period not a good time to be a Mayomad fan in Galway at least Peter Ford gave us the League to gloat over for a few weeks, we really clung to the ladies victories & of course the exploits of Crossmollina (not my own club). I actually had my Mayoflag held ransom for a few weeks, I actually got really really really really irate about it not the cost of the flag but the fact that someone from the Midlands dare remove it from our Mayo occupied house in Galway City. I actully had money stolen around the same time and never got to annoyed & I was broke @ the time. Sorry thats a tangent. Lived in Dublin & being constantly called Culchie this & Culchie that made every victory over the Dubs so so so sweet.
I know thats a bit of a meandering minds thought process, my point is if I had held on to the notion of the Mitchells rather than Mayo most non-hardcore GAA fans @ the age of the 4-7 would have said "the fck wot now?!?"
Admittedly the town went nuts in 1994 when Castlebar Mitchells got to the Final V Nemo Rangers, what a slaughter. :'( :'( :'( :'(
I remember the train took until after 1 am to get back to town, coz nearly everyone was pissed & repeatly pulling the emergancy cord.
Quote from: Uladh on June 21, 2007, 06:19:05 PM
Quote from: thebandit on June 21, 2007, 05:52:41 PM
What about poor souls myself who actively support two counties ???
you sir, should be put in a bag as every unwanted litter is and weighted tight til a heavy rock....
[/quo
I was brought up supporting the oul lad's county (we only live 2 miles from the county boundary)
But as I got older I got more involved in the local club, I play, serve on the committee and coach underage teams. I am also on a county sub-committee. Therefore I feel well entitled to support the county.
That will never make me renounce the county I was brought up supporting though.
Quote from: thebandit on June 21, 2007, 09:42:24 PM
Quote from: Uladh on June 21, 2007, 06:19:05 PM
Quote from: thebandit on June 21, 2007, 05:52:41 PM
What about poor souls myself who actively support two counties ???
you sir, should be put in a bag as every unwanted litter is and weighted tight til a heavy rock....
I was brought up supporting the oul lad's county (we only live 2 miles from the county boundary)
But as I got older I got more involved in the local club, I play, serve on the committee and coach underage teams. I am also on a county sub-committee. Therefore I feel well entitled to support the county.
That will never make me renounce the county I was brought up supporting though.
Quote from: Hardy on June 21, 2007, 04:09:31 PM
There's another category - I belong to it. I've been gone from my native locality for over 25 years, so I've lost effective contact with my home club. Of course, I still like to see them do well, but I'm not in regular contact, rarely get to see their games, wouldn't know the players etc.
I just can't give the same level of allegiance to the club I'm a runner-in to. The depth of feeling wouldn't (couldn't) be there. The young lad is a player, but I don't get directly involved.
I'm just wandering in the desert, really and I miss the passionate involvement with a club, completely understand the lads here who have it and envy them for it. But at this stage, for me, an All-Ireland for Meath would mean much more than a county championship for either of "my" clubs.
Should I go and show myself to the priests?
Same with myself. If you no longer live around home, and you don't travel home to play for the club, you lose touch, plain and simple. I chose to play soccer from my late teens onward because I was better at it (I didn't say good, just better!), so I never joined any other GAA club either. As a result, I have nowhere near the interest in club football that I would have in the county team.
County success breeds Club success, throgh stimulation of interest particularly among the young. As for club v county, it is not an either/or debate, the real supporter will glory in both
soccer is an easier game to play. look at the history- it was created for the masses during the industrial revolution to give them something to do in the evening. These weren't the sharpest tools in the box so it had to be simple. And soccer is a simple game - doesn't mean it's a better tgame. Gaa is more complicated in that the skills are harder but because it is an indigenous game it has done a remarkable job in keeping up with soccer and in my view is a much better game to watch.
Soccer is essentially a working class sport so it shouldn't be that much of asurprise that it's numbers are slightly bigger.
There might be a lot of people with a passing interest in soccer but gaa is definately more popular. It gets much better viewing figures for the big games each year and wins hands down in terms of attendances. Its also played at a half decent level by a lot more people than soccer. We do know have big problems in the big cities. When things are going well though people dont be long jumping on a bandwagon, look in Limerick were the so called rugby men are now hurling men.
This new bandwagon in Limerick is most interesting. The first game had an attendance of 26,000, while the replay attracted 27,000. As a Tipp supporter, I do not expect many extra fans to travel from Tipperary, especially as the match is on TV, so the increase in attendance will be nearly all Limerick people. The extra attendance next Sunday will be the number of Limerick fans converted to hurling in a fortnight. If Limerick lose on Sunday, you wo'nt see many of them at the qualifiers.
Club all the way, and that's despite living in Sydney, I suppose the fact that some of the closest friendships I have were made whilst playing for the club at underage levels, some of the guys still play at Senior level.
Always look forward to reading the online edition of the local paper to see the results at all levels, seeing who lined out for the U-16's and being shocked that guys like Eddie Murphy are playing at minor level, when it seems like yesterday he was a toddler in the dressing room when I played with his father, same for Keith Tighe, Lorcan Healy playing senior when I though he would just be starting in Muredeachs!! Get a great kick out of it
Quote from: Tyrone Dreamer on June 21, 2007, 11:24:33 PM
There might be a lot of people with a passing interest in soccer but gaa is definately more popular. It gets much better viewing figures for the big games each year and wins hands down in terms of attendances. Its also played at a half decent level by a lot more people than soccer. We do know have big problems in the big cities. When things are going well though people dont be long jumping on a bandwagon, look in Limerick were the so called rugby men are now hurling men.
a lot of people watch a bit of soccer on the box, i used to watch a fair bit but find it increasingly dull these days, just look at the excitment last weekend in the football and hurling, you'd be watching hundreds of soccer matches waiting for something as exciting to happen, the majority of soccer shown here are games where man utd steemroll some nobodies, or celtic doing the same to some no hopers in scotland ... i'd rather watch any gaa match at any level to be honest. if theres so may soccer clubs around the country why do these guys not go and support their local professional soccer club?
Quotenumber of Limerick fans converted to hurling in a fortnight
That's unfair Onlooker. Limerick has always been a good hurling county, and would always attract a big following as soon as they start going well. (Not unlike a lot of other counties). It's disingenuous to claim they are only learning hurling in the past fortnight, or converting to it. They are simply being stirred again because they feel the team might do something.
This is turning into a club v county debate and not gaa vs soccer.
Personally on the first point, while I'd also be a huge Galway fan and rarely miss a game for the footballers, my local club would definitely come first. I've played football for my local club for the last 20 years and nothing would mean more to me personally than to win something with my club - I've won very little over the years, the last being an u-21 B title 8 or 9 years ago. I've also been involved in coaching/managing a few underage teams in the club a few years ago so I would be hugely loyal to the club and support all teams from under 10 upwards in their games.
On the second point - soccer is pretty popular where I come (rural Galway) from but gaelic football is still more popular and there would be a lot more players/mentors involved in the gaa club than the soccer club.
I personally am a member of the soccer club as well and play both sports still,as I find soccer a very enjotable to sport to play and it keeps me fit over the winter. I would also probably consider myself to be a better soccer player than gaelic player.
I wouldn't watch a local junior soccer game in a fit though if I wasn't playing.It can be very boring to watch whereas I'd watch gaelic football any day of the week at any level.
I reckon as some previous poster said, soccer is probaly more popular in urban centres whereas gaa is more popular in rural areas.
Quote from: INDIANA on June 21, 2007, 11:18:17 PM
soccer is an easier game to play. look at the history- it was created for the masses during the industrial revolution to give them something to do in the evening. These weren't the sharpest tools in the box so it had to be simple. And soccer is a simple game - doesn't mean it's a better tgame. Gaa is more complicated in that the skills are harder but because it is an indigenous game it has done a remarkable job in keeping up with soccer and in my view is a much better game to watch.
Soccer is essentially a working class sport so it shouldn't be that much of asurprise that it's numbers are slightly bigger.
I think its very debatable whether gaelic football an inherently more skillful game that soccer. Yes, anyone can play soccer at a very basic level, but you can say the same about gaelic. To play each well takes quite a bit of skill and practice.
QuoteI would also probably consider myself to be a better soccer player than gaelic player. I wouldn't watch a local junior soccer game in a fit though if I wasn't playing.It can be very boring to watch whereas I'd watch gaelic football any day of the week at any level.
I'd be very similar to galwayman, never played gaelic at the same level as I did soccer. I'd agree that gaelic football is a more interesting game to watch, especially at the lower levels. But does that not suggest that the skills levels must thus be easier to master. Possibly, but another factor is that scores are easier to come by, and can be achieved from a greater range of the playing surface.
As a field sport though, neither gaelic football nor soccer can hold a candle, from an interesting to watch perspective, to hurling. When was the last time anyone saw a gaelic football match to equal the intensity, skill levels and excitement of either of last weekend's hurling championship games - I can't remember one; and games like these happen relatively frequently in hurling.
As Ive said before you may need more individual skill to play hurling but I dont agree with the rest of Billy Boots points. Gaelic football is played at a much greater level of intensity than hurling. Due to the distance the ball travels its impossible for hurling to match the intensity of gaelic football and at the same time I believe you may need to be fitter to play football at the top level. I also beleive that football relies on much greater teamwork than hurling, as I said earlier when do u see goals in hurling with as good a interchange play as the Tyrone goal in the football on Sunday. There's much greater interchange and understanding between players in football. Im also not buying your point on exciting games. The Dublin Mayo game last year or any of the Tyrone games from the quarter final on in 05 were as exciting if not more exciting than any hurling games this decade. I personally really enjoy top hurling matches but it does pish me of the snobbery attitude often portrayed by hurling fans who refuse to recognise the high quality of football matches. I may have gone slightly over the top with some of the football pro's above but hurling fans do this all the time.
suprised by this. in dublin "soccer" is much more popular than gaelic football. didn't realise the opposite was true in the rest of the country.
Quote from: upthedubs on June 29, 2007, 01:52:02 PM
suprised by this. in dublin "soccer" is much more popular than gaelic football. didn't realise the opposite was true in the rest of the country.
Who is this fck'n Jack Charlton person anyways? ;)
Quote from: Tyrone Dreamer on June 22, 2007, 06:53:53 PM
I personally really enjoy top hurling matches but it does pish me of the snobbery attitude often portrayed by hurling fans who refuse to recognise the high quality of football matches. I may have gone slightly over the top with some of the football pro's above but hurling fans do this all the time.
Totally agree with your comments. Whenever there is a really good game of hurling all the usual stuff like "you'd never see a football match that good" comes out. Not that I'm saying I dont like hurling, I think it can be excellent sometimes but I just find it can be very very scrappy + 90% of pucks up the field are just hit and hope so there's not much skill involved there.
Rugby and Gaelic are by far the best games to watch in my Opinion
90% Soccer is a pile of SHITE!
Spanish sooccer is good
Knockout tournaments like the world cup are good
Premiership is muck
But I suppose at the end of the day its whatever your into yourself
[/quote]
Totally agree with your comments. Whenever there is a really good game of hurling all the usual stuff like "you'd never see a football match that good" comes out. Not that I'm saying I dont like hurling, I think it can be excellent sometimes but I just find it can be very very scrappy + 90% of pucks up the field are just hit and hope so there's not much skill involved there.
Rugby and Gaelic are by far the best games to watch in my Opinion
90% Soccer is a pile of SHITE!
Spanish sooccer is good
Knockout tournaments like the world cup are good
Premiership is muck
But I suppose at the end of the day its whatever your into yourself
[/quote]
Spot on Stag. In terms of genuine quality and excitement only the Euros/ World Cups and the latter stages of the Champions league are good to watch, the rest of the time Soccer is a bore. I play Soccer at a local level and it is so much easier to excel than at Football. For me to make the local Gaeilc team requires huge committment and training to keep up with the rest of the squad, with soccer my preparation is go easy on the beer the night before and if I turn up I should get a game. Great way of keeping fit in the winter though and it is very enjoyable to play but for most lads in my area, Gaelic is everything, soccer a handy past-time when the "footie" season is over. In Mayo there is only one real show in town and that's football, proper football that is, soccer is a distant second in my view.
the main reason why soccer is continuing to become more popular is because it is cheap to run most clubs pick up disaffected gaa players and fellas who dont like gettin roughed up usually townies they dont need underage structure, they dont have insurance, they can get plumbers to sponsor them (11 jerseys) or taximen. and slabbering to the ref and jumping on the wire is ok. our bill for armagh county board expenses, insurance, etc has arrived you could run five soccer clubs for the same cost. that why soccer is becoming more popular
Good point about the expsense involved in running a Gaa club . The GAA has to battle in every street every.every town and townland to keep the games going
Let the soccer boys play soocer - we'll keep the flag flying high ! Soccer is no threat -
In south mayo gaelic is number one...soccer or any other sport cant come close.
I find unless soccer is played at the highest level its complete muck to watch, the premiership and i dont care what anyone thinks completely over hyped cant remember the last game i found exciting.
Quote from: AMayoSheep on June 30, 2007, 07:44:44 PM
In south mayo gaelic is number one...soccer or any other sport cant come close.
I find unless soccer is played at the highest level its complete muck to watch, the premiership and i dont care what anyone thinks completely over hyped cant remember the last game i found exciting.
Soccer i'm afraid is more popular to play in ireland than gaelic football. Most statistics from the GAA for players include Hurlers, Camoige players, Handballers etc. I am From Mayo and involved in Soccer and Gaelic. Soccer used to be a joke in the county but has made great inroads. The Big soccer clubs are based in mostly Central and North Mayo. True you will not get many at games etc but it is becoming more popular and the facilities especially in Mayo where standards were set has seen a big upturn. The FAI are spending more time and money on training Coaches and have adapted UEFA badges. Anyone who says Soccer is not a tactical and skillfull game, clearly has never played other than a kick about in the back garden. Soccer presently is the number one game in the playground among boys and girls. Gaelic will always be my number one as it has more freedom in the use of more players, has the option of scoring points, no offside restriction, milder physical element and you can use your hands. It is more entertaining for the fan as there is more action. But it has evolved ito a present day game where alt of players have lost the art of (simply) soloing, kicking and fielding the ball. Many athletes who play the game can get away with speed and hand skills to cover up their lack of footalling skills.
Quote from: From the Bunker on June 30, 2007, 09:29:02 PM
Quote from: AMayoSheep on June 30, 2007, 07:44:44 PM
In south mayo gaelic is number one...soccer or any other sport cant come close.
I find unless soccer is played at the highest level its complete muck to watch, the premiership and i dont care what anyone thinks completely over hyped cant remember the last game i found exciting.
Soccer i'm afraid is more popular to play in ireland than gaelic football. Most statistics from the GAA for players include Hurlers, Camoige players, Handballers etc. I am From Mayo and involved in Soccer and Gaelic. Soccer used to be a joke in the county but has made great inroads. The Big soccer clubs are based in mostly Central and North Mayo. True you will not get many at games etc but it is becoming more popular and the facilities especially in Mayo where standards were set has seen a big upturn. The FAI are spending more time and money on training Coaches and have adapted UEFA badges. Anyone who says Soccer is not a tactical and skillfull game, clearly has never played other than a kick about in the back garden. Soccer presently is the number one game in the playground among boys and girls. Gaelic will always be my number one as it has more freedom in the use of more players, has the option of scoring points, no offside restriction, milder physical element and you can use your hands. It is more entertaining for the fan as there is more action. But it has evolved ito a present day game where alt of players have lost the art of (simply) soloing, kicking and fielding the ball. Many athletes who play the game can get away with speed and hand skills to cover up their lack of footalling skills.
In Castlebar, Castlebar Celtic seems to be building up a bit of a support, but I think GAA still number one in the town, Westport which was a historic soccer town has been losing ground to the GAA for the last few years, GAA extremely strong in the North Central of the County too.
it sounds like its more popular in mayo maybe thats y they cant win an allireland :P