Gaelic football and Ladies’ Gaelic football have received formal State recognition as part of Ireland’s living cultural heritage, Minister for Culture Catherine Martin has announced.
The long-standing traditions will be recognised alongside the weaving of a St Brigid’s Cross, Irish set-dancing and the Irish amateur dramatic tradition.
The move follows a recommendation from Ireland’s Expert Advisory Committee on Intangible Cultural Heritage and the four practices will join 38 others already recognised on Ireland’s National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
These include Irish traditional music, hurling and camogie, basketmaking and Traveller tinsmithing.
The national inventory aims to protect, promote and celebrate Irish living cultural heritage practices, customs, crafts and traditions.
Ms Martin described each practice as “integral” to the culture and identity of the communities who practice them “and to our society more broadly”.
“The practices recognised today continue to thrive through the dedicated communities who sustain and pass on their skills through the generations,” she said.
Jarlath Burns, president of the GAA, said the sports are an “intrinsic part of who we are”.
“They are unique to us and their importance to Irish people is evidenced by their popularity in more than 1,600 clubs throughout this island and the 500 GAA clubs which exist elsewhere in the world. We are enormously proud of the skills and artistry which have evolved in our national games over centuries,” he said.
Helen O’Rourke, chief executive of the Ladies’ Gaelic football Association, described it as a “timely announcement” as the association is set to celebrate its 50th anniversary on Thursday.
“We have come a long way in half a century, with almost 200,000 members in our association, and over 1,000 clubs across Ireland and Britain. To have our sport inscribed on the representative list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity is a source of great pride to us,” she said.
