Gaelic ball

A football or Gaelic ball (Irish: liathróid peile)^[1] is the spherical leather football used in the sports of Gaelic football and ladies' Gaelic football and international rules football.

A Gaelic ball made by O'Neills

The pattern of panels consists of six groups perpendicular to each other, each group being composed of two trapezoidal panels and one rectangular panel; 18 panels in all.^[2]

Rules

Gaelic football

The football is required to weigh 480–500 grams (1.05–1.1 pounds) and have a circumference of 68–70 cm (2 ft ~3 in); therefore, a diameter of about 22 cm (9 in). Smaller balls can be used in under-15 or younger grades. In addition, balls are approved by The Central Competitions Controls Committee "on the basis of compliance with standards and tests set out by The Central Competitions Controls Committee] Footballs shall fully comply with the Playing Gear and Equipment regulations as ratified from time to time by Central Council."^[3] Footballs are pumped to 9.75–10 psi (67–69 kPa).^[4]

The Central Competitions Controls Committee have approved two "Match Footballs" to date.

The first Officially Licensed Ball was the iconic O'Neills Football which has been widely used in the sport since the 1960s. In 2015, The Central Competitions Controls Committee approved the MD Sports Match Football.^[5] The most recently approved ball is produced by the Myclubshop.ie company, owned by long-standing GAA patron Martin Donnelly.^[5]

Ladies' Gaelic football

In ladies' Gaelic football, a size 4 football is used in all grades of competition from under-12 upwards. A size 3 or Go Games football is used in younger age groups. ^[6]

History

Early rules did not precisely define the football, and the ball used was the same as that used in association football (soccer).^{[7][failed verification]}

The first distinctive Gaelic footballs were offered for sale in Dublin in 1886. Leather balls quickly became soggy and misshapen until water-resistant coatings were added.^[8]

See also

• Sliotar
• Football (ball)

References

1. "Scéal liathróid peile i dTír Chonaill". Gaelic Athletic Association (in Irish). 13 May 2017. Archived from the original on 24 December 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
2. Grasso, John (13 June 2013). Historical Dictionary of Football. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810878570. Archived from the original on 6 June 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2020 – via Google Books.
3. GAA Official Guide May 2017 (pdf) (Report). Gaelic Athletic Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 November 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
4. Fogarty, John (18 September 2015). "All-Ireland: Pressure on to keep final balls in the air". Irish Examiner. Archived from the original on 24 December 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
5. "Donnelly ball set for swift croke park debut". Irish Independent. 26 January 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
6. Playing Rules of Ladies Gaelic Football 2017 (PDF) (Report). Ladies' Gaelic Football Association. 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 April 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
7. Campbell, Noel. "Gaelic Athletic Association Football Rules Book 1888". National Museum of Ireland. Archived from the original on 29 August 2017. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
8. Chetwynd, Josh (3 May 2011). The Secret History of Balls: The Stories Behind the Things We Love to Catch, Whack, Throw, Kick, Bounce and Bat. Penguin. ISBN 9781101514870. Archived from the original on 6 June 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2020 – via Google Books.