On Saturday night we went to an Irish Football game.  For Ireland, football is their Gaelic or Irish football.  Thus, they do call English football soccer, which makes it easier for Americans!

The game was at the local GAA stadium in Longford - so close we could have walked to it!  We bought tickets for the terrace, which, as it turned out, is the area where you actually stand at a rail to watch the game.  If you buy tickets in the stands, you get to sit!

The game is very fast-paced.  There is a goal keeper in front of a net that looks similar to a soccer net, but it also has long poles and a cross bar high up like an American football goal post.  The ball is round and a player can run with it but must bounce or kick it every few steps (3 I think).  There is no tackling, but the opposing players can try to hit at the ball or run into you to try to knock it out of your hands.  To pass the ball a player must kick it or punch it ( like a volleyball serve) to another player.  Points are scored by kicking it over the posts or by kicking it into the net.  A shot over the posts is 1 point, a shot in the net is 3.

We enjoyed watching the game - I think the whole town attended!  It went into overtime, and Longford lost to Wexford in the end, but it was still a good time.  They do not sell alcohol at the stadium, which is probably a good idea for any sporting event where passions may run high!

We got home about 9:30 (21:30 in European time) and it was still light out.  We are so far North that right now, we get daylight from about 3:30 am until about 11 pm (23:00!).