Application submitted for Gaelic football to be recognised by Unesco

The GAA and LGFA have submitted an application for the official recognition of Gaelic football by Unesco.

In 2018, hurling and camogie were added to Unesco’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and it is now hoped the big-ball code can receive the same recognition.

The GAA/LGFA submission will be adjudicated on by Unesco over the coming months, with a decision expected in 2027 – exactly 140 years since the first All-Ireland football championship.

The Peil work group behind the submission is comprised of Joe Kernan, Dr Hayley Kilgallon, Dr Will Murphy, Dr Tom Hunt, Lyn Savage, Charles Harrison, Jamie Ó Tuama and Cian Murphy.

The process of securing Unesco recognition requires the support of the Government through the Department of Culture, who oversaw the preparation of the submission.

The bid recognises the documented existence of forms of football being played in Ireland from the 1500s, through to the codification and popularisation of Gaelic football following the formation of the GAA in 1884 and the Ladies Gaelic Football Association in 1974, with the game now played in 2,000 clubs across both associations throughout Ireland, and in 500 clubs overseas.

“Gaelic games bind communities together like nothing else in Ireland and Gaelic football is not just a sport but, a way of life for people from Killarney to Kilcar and from Swords to Salthill and everywhere in between,” said GAA president, Jarlath Burns.

“Like hurling and camogie, these games are a part of who we are, and Gaelic games are a part of our DNA. Achieving Unesco status would grant international recognition of their cultural significance and greatly assist us in our efforts to grow our games at home and abroad.”

Trina Murray, LGFA president, added: “This is a landmark moment for Ladies Gaelic Football. Since 1974, we’ve built a game that now stands proudly alongside the men’s code, with thousands of women and girls lacing up every week from local pitches to Croke Park.

“Unesco recognition would place our sport on a global stage it has long deserved and send a clear message to the next generation that their game matters, is valued, and has a future without limits.

“We’re proud to stand with the GAA in putting this submission forward, and we look forward to what the coming months will bring.”

Patrick O’Donovan, Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport said: “As we saw with the recognition of hurling in 2018, Unesco’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity listing is a powerful statement of international recognition for the importance of our living culture to the world’s shared heritage.

“The Government is happy to support the GAA and LGFA’s application to secure Unesco status for men’s and women’s Gaelic football.”

Click here to read article