Editing Ireland (section)

===Sports===
{{Main|Sport in Ireland}}
{{See also|List of Irish people#Sport|l1=List of Irish sports people}}

[[Gaelic football]] is the most popular sport in Ireland in terms of match attendance and community involvement, with about 2,600 clubs on the island. In 2003 it represented 34% of total sports attendances at events in Ireland and abroad, followed by [[hurling]] at 23%, soccer at 16% and [[rugby football|rugby]] at 8%.<ref name="esri">{{cite web |url= http://www.esri.ie/pdf/BKMNINT180_Main%20Text_Social%20and%20Economic%20Value%20of%20Sport.pdf |publisher=Economic and Social Research Institute |title=The Social Significance of Sport |access-date=21 October 2008 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150712134834/http://www.esri.ie/pdf/BKMNINT180_Main%20Text_Social%20and%20Economic%20Value%20of%20Sport.pdf |archive-date=12 July 2015}}</ref> The [[All-Ireland Football Final]] is the most watched event in the sporting calendar.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.finfacts.com/irelandbusinessnews/publish/article_10004396.shtml |title=Initiative's latest ViewerTrack study shows that in Ireland GAA and soccer still dominate the sporting arena, while globally the Superbowl (sic) was the most watched sporting event of 2005 |website=FinFacts.com |publisher=Finfacts Multimedia |date=4 January 2006 |access-date=24 January 2010 |archive-date=2 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191102104825/http://www.finfacts.com/irelandbusinessnews/publish/article_10004396.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> Soccer is the most widely played team game on the island and the most popular in Northern Ireland.<ref name="esri"/><ref name="FootballSoccer">{{cite web |url=http://www.culturenorthernireland.org/article/709/soccer-in-northern-ireland |title=Soccer in Northern Ireland |website=Culture Northern Ireland |publisher=Nerve Centre |location=Derry/Londonderry |date=14 July 2008 |access-date=8 June 2011 |archive-date=16 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111016113405/http://www.culturenorthernireland.org/article/709/soccer-in-northern-ireland |url-status=live |last1=Ireland |first1=Culture Northern }}</ref>

Other sporting activities with the highest levels of playing participation include swimming, golf, aerobics, cycling, and billiards/snooker.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.esri.ie/UserFiles/publications/20070223162340/BKMNINT178_Main%20Text%20Chapters%201-4.pdf |title=Sports Participation and Health Among Adults in Ireland |publisher=Economic and Social Research Institute |access-date=15 October 2008 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150904125738/http://www.esri.ie/UserFiles/publications/20070223162340/BKMNINT178_Main%20Text%20Chapters%201-4.pdf |archive-date= 4 September 2015}}</ref> Many other sports are also played and followed, including [[boxing]], [[cricket]], fishing, [[greyhound racing]], [[Gaelic handball|handball]], [[field hockey|hockey]], horse racing, [[motor sport]], [[show jumping]] and tennis.

The island fields a single international team in most sports. One notable exception to this is association football, although both associations continued to field international teams under the name "Ireland" until the 1950s. The sport is also the most notable exception where the [[Republic of Ireland national football team|Republic of Ireland]] and [[Northern Ireland national football team|Northern Ireland]] field separate international teams. Northern Ireland has produced two World Snooker Champions.

Ireland is ranked 10th in the ICC Men's Test Team Rankings 2025 with a rating of 30.<ref>{{Cite web |last=icc |title=ICC Men's Test Team Rankings |url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/rankings/team-rankings/mens/test |access-date=2025-03-09 |website=icc |language=en}}</ref>

====Field sports====
{{Main|Gaelic games|Rugby union in Ireland|Rugby league in Ireland|Association football in the Republic of Ireland|Association football in Northern Ireland}}
[[File:Tyrone Blanket Defence.jpg|thumb|[[Tyrone GAA|Tyrone]] v [[Kerry GAA|Kerry]] in the [[2005 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final]]]]
Gaelic football, hurling and Gaelic handball are the best-known Irish traditional sports, collectively known as Gaelic games. Gaelic games are governed by the [[Gaelic Athletic Association]] (GAA), with the exception of women's Gaelic football and camogie (women's variant of hurling), which are governed by separate organisations. The headquarters of the GAA (and the main stadium) is located at<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.crokepark.ie/ |title=Croke Park. Not just a venue. A destination |publisher=Croke Park Stadium / Gaelic Athletic Association |access-date=3 October 2007 |archive-date=1 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071001182803/http://www.crokepark.ie/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Croke Park]] in north Dublin and has a capacity of 82,500. Many major GAA games are played there, including the semi-finals and finals of the [[All-Ireland Senior Football Championship]] and [[All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship]]. During the redevelopment of the [[Lansdowne Road|Lansdowne Road stadium]] in 2007–2010, international rugby and soccer were played there.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/05/AR2007020501459.html |title=For First Time, Croke Park Is Ireland's Common Ground |date=6 February 2007 |access-date=14 August 2008 |newspaper=The Washington Post|first=Michael |last=Moynihan |archive-date=11 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111193225/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/05/AR2007020501459.html |url-status=live }}</ref> All GAA players, even at the highest level, are amateurs, receiving no wages, although they are permitted to receive a limited amount of sport-related income from commercial sponsorship.

The [[Irish Football Association]] (IFA) was originally the governing body for soccer across the island. The game has been played in an organised fashion in Ireland since the 1870s, with [[Cliftonville F.C.]] in Belfast being Ireland's oldest club. It was most popular, especially in its first decades, around Belfast and in Ulster. However, some clubs based outside Belfast thought that the IFA largely favoured Ulster-based clubs in such matters as selection for the national team. In 1921, following an incident in which, despite an earlier promise, the IFA moved an [[Irish Cup]] semi-final replay from Dublin to Belfast,<ref>{{cite web |title=FAI History: 1921–1930 |publisher=Football Association of Ireland |date=5 June 2009 |url=http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=222&Itemid=226 |access-date=30 December 2009 |archive-date=2 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171002021806/http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=222&Itemid=226 |url-status=live }}</ref> Dublin-based clubs broke away to form the Football Association of the Irish Free State. Today the southern association is known as the [[Football Association of Ireland]] (FAI). Despite being initially blacklisted by the [[Home Nations]]' associations, the FAI was recognised by [[FIFA]] in 1923 and organised its first international fixture in 1926 (against [[Italy national football team|Italy]]). However, both the IFA and FAI continued to select their teams from the whole of Ireland, with some players earning international caps for matches with both teams. Both also referred to their respective teams as ''Ireland''.

[[File:Paul O'Connell Ireland Rugby.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Paul O'Connell]] reaching for the ball during a [[Line-out (rugby union)|line out]] against [[Argentina national rugby union team|Argentina]] in 2007]]
In 1950, FIFA directed the associations only to select players from within their respective territories and, in 1953, directed that the FAI's team be known only as "Republic of Ireland" and that the IFA's team be known as "Northern Ireland" (with certain exceptions). Northern Ireland qualified for the [[FIFA World Cup|World Cup]] finals in [[1958 FIFA World Cup|1958]] (reaching the quarter-finals), [[1982 FIFA World Cup|1982]] and [[1986 FIFA World Cup|1986]] and the [[UEFA European Championship|European Championship]] in [[UEFA Euro 2016|2016]]. The Republic qualified for the World Cup finals in [[1990 FIFA World Cup|1990]] (reaching the quarter-finals), [[1994 FIFA World Cup|1994]], [[2002 FIFA World Cup|2002]] and the European Championship in [[UEFA Euro 1988|1988]], [[UEFA Euro 2012|2012]] and 2016. Across Ireland, there is significant interest in the [[Premier League|English]] and, to a lesser extent, [[Scottish Premier League|Scottish]] soccer leagues.

Ireland fields a single [[Ireland national rugby union team|national rugby team]] and a single association, the [[Irish Rugby Football Union]], governs the sport across the island. The Irish rugby team have played in every [[Rugby World Cup]], making the quarter-finals in eight of them.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/oct/14/ireland-new-zealand-rugby-world-cup-quarter-final-match-report |title=New Zealand hold off Ireland in titanic battle to reach World Cup semi-finals |last=Aylwin |first=Michael|date=14 October 2023 |website=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=25 January 2024 |quote= let the record state: eight quarter-finals, eight defeats.}}</ref> Ireland also hosted games during the [[1991 Rugby World Cup|1991]] and the [[1999 Rugby World Cup]]s (including a quarter-final). There are four professional Irish teams; all four play in the [[Pro14]] and at least three compete for the [[Heineken Cup]]. Irish rugby has become increasingly competitive at both the international and provincial levels since the sport went professional in 1994. During that time, [[Ulster Rugby|Ulster]] ([[1998–99 Heineken Cup|1999]]),<ref name="heineken champions archive">{{cite web |url=http://archive.ercrugby.com/heinekencup/champions.php |title=Champions of Europe |publisher=European Club Rugby |website=ERCRugby.com |date=2014 |access-date=4 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006080223/http://archive.ercrugby.com/heinekencup/champions.php |archive-date=6 October 2014 }}</ref> [[Munster Rugby|Munster]] ([[2005–06 Heineken Cup|2006]]<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/european/4998452.stm |title=Munster 23–19 Biarritz |publisher=BBC News |date=20 May 2006 |access-date=13 October 2011 |archive-date=24 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161024121442/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/european/4998452.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[2007–08 Heineken Cup|2008]])<ref name="heineken champions archive"/> and [[Leinster Rugby|Leinster]] ([[2008–09 Heineken Cup|2009]], [[2010–11 Heineken Cup|2011]] and [[2011–12 Heineken Cup|2012]])<ref name="heineken champions archive"/> have won the Heineken Cup. In addition to this, the Irish International side has had increased success in the [[Six Nations Championship]] against the other European elite sides. This success, including [[Triple Crown (rugby union)|Triple Crowns]] in 2004, 2006 and 2007, culminated with a clean sweep of victories, known as a [[Grand Slam (rugby union)|Grand Slam]], in 2009 and 2018.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/17274833 |title=Six Nations roll of honour |publisher=BBC News |date=2014 |access-date=28 May 2014 |archive-date=8 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151108101422/http://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/17274833 |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Boxing====
{{Main|Boxing in Ireland}}
Amateur boxing on the island of Ireland is governed by the [[Irish Athletic Boxing Association]]. Ireland has won more medals in boxing than in any other Olympic sport. [[Michael Carruth]] won a gold medal and [[Wayne McCullough]] won a silver medal in the [[1992 Summer Olympics|Barcelona Olympic Games]]. In 2008 Kenneth Egan won a silver medal in the Beijing Games.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0824/107262-olympic/ |title=RTÉ News: Irish boxer loses out on Olympic gold |work=RTÉ News |publisher={{lang|ga|[[Raidió Teilifís Éireann]]}} |date=28 August 2008 |access-date=28 February 2010 |archive-date=20 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131220191848/http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0824/107262-olympic/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Paddy Barnes]] secured bronze in those games and gold in the [[2010 European Amateur Boxing Championships]] (where Ireland came 2nd in the overall medal table) and [[2010 Commonwealth Games]]. [[Katie Taylor]] has won gold in every European and World championship since 2005. In August 2012 at the Olympic Games in London, Taylor created history by becoming the first Irish woman to win a gold medal in boxing in the 60&nbsp;kg lightweight.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/boxing/2010/0918/270858-taylork_world/ |title=Katie Taylor wins World Boxing Championships |date=18 September 2010 |work=RTÉ Sport |publisher={{lang|ga|Raidió Teilifís Éireann}} |access-date=20 September 2010 |archive-date=23 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120923060509/http://www.rte.ie/sport/boxing/2010/0918/270858-taylork_world/ |url-status=live }}</ref> More recently, Kellie Harrington won a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.<ref>{{Cite web|date=8 August 2021|title=Tokyo 2020: Kellie Harrington lands lightweight Olympic gold after dominant display|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/olympics/2021/0808/1239649-tokyo-2020-harrington-wins-gold-with-boxing-exhibition/|url-status=live|website=RTÉ News|access-date=14 August 2021|archive-date=11 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210811033052/https://www.rte.ie/sport/olympics/2021/0808/1239649-tokyo-2020-harrington-wins-gold-with-boxing-exhibition/}}</ref>

====Other sports====
{{Main|Horse racing in Ireland|Athletics in Ireland|Golf in Ireland}}
[[File:Irl-Sligo horse racing.jpg|thumb|[[Horse racing]] in [[Sligo]]]]
Horse racing and greyhound racing are both popular in Ireland. There are frequent horse race meetings and greyhound stadiums are well-attended. The island is noted for the breeding and training of race horses and is also a large exporter of racing dogs.<ref>{{Cite report |author=FGS Consulting |title=Review of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund |publisher=Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism |date=May 2009 |page=11 |url= http://www.arts-sport-tourism.gov.ie/pdfs/DAST_%20Review_of_H%20_GFund%20_FGS_Final_May%2009.pdf |access-date=29 March 2010 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110723073729/http://www.arts-sport-tourism.gov.ie/pdfs/DAST_%20Review_of_H%20_GFund%20_FGS_Final_May%2009.pdf |archive-date=23 July 2011}}</ref> The horse racing sector is largely concentrated in the County Kildare.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.curragh.ie/about-us/history-of-the-curragh/ |title=Kildare at the heart of the Irish bloodstock industry |publisher=The Curragh Racecourse |access-date=29 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170620102429/http://www.curragh.ie/about-us/history-of-the-curragh/ |archive-date=20 June 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Irish athletics is an all-Ireland sport governed by [[Athletics Ireland]]. [[Sonia O'Sullivan]] won two medals at 5,000 metres on the track; gold at the 1995 [[IAAF World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]] and silver at the [[2000 Summer Olympics|2000 Sydney Olympics]]. [[Gillian O'Sullivan]] won silver in the 20k walk at the 2003 World Championships, while sprint hurdler [[Derval O'Rourke]] won gold at the 2006 World Indoor Championship in Moscow. Olive Loughnane won a silver medal in the 20k walk at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin in 2009.<ref>{{cite news |title=Loughnane claims silver medal in Berlin |url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/athletics/2009/0816/253347-loughnaneo/ |work=RTÉ |date=16 August 2009 |access-date=16 August 2021 |archive-date=16 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816162405/https://www.rte.ie/sport/athletics/2009/0816/253347-loughnaneo/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Golf is very popular, and golf tourism is a major industry attracting more than 240,000 golfing visitors annually.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ireland.com/what-is-available/golf/articles/golfing-ireland |title=Golfing in Ireland |website=Ireland.com |publisher=Tourism Ireland |access-date=28 May 2014 |archive-date=29 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140529091743/http://www.ireland.com/what-is-available/golf/articles/golfing-ireland |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[2006 Ryder Cup]] was held at [[The Kildare Hotel and Golf Club|The K Club]] in County Kildare.<ref>{{cite web |title=2006 Ryder Cup Team Europe |publisher=PGA of America, Ryder Cup Limited, and Turner Sports Interactive |date=23 January 2006 |url=http://www.rydercup.com/2006/europe/news/20060123_home.html |access-date=8 November 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081119220931/http://www.rydercup.com/2006/europe/news/20060123_home.html |archive-date=19 November 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Pádraig Harrington]] became the first Irishman since [[Fred Daly (golfer)|Fred Daly]] in 1947 to win the [[The Open Championship|British Open]] at [[Carnoustie]] in July 2007.<ref>{{cite web |last=Brennan |first=Séamus |author-link=Séamus Brennan |title=Séamus Brennan, Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism comments on victory by Padraig Harrington in the 2007 British Open Golf Championship |date=22 July 2007 |website=arts-sport-tourism.gov.ie |publisher=Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism |location=Dublin |url= http://www.arts-sport-tourism.gov.ie/publications/release.asp?ID=2028 |access-date=8 November 2008 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110723073843/http://www.arts-sport-tourism.gov.ie/publications/release.asp?ID=2028 |archive-date=23 July 2011}}</ref> He successfully defended his title in July 2008<ref>{{Cite news |url= http://www.randa.org/en/RandA/News/News/2008/October/Peter-Dawson-speaks-about-golf-s-Olympic-ambition.aspx |title=Peter Dawson speaks about golf's Olympic ambition |work=OpenGolf.com |publisher=R&A Championships Ltd |date=16 December 2009 |access-date=26 March 2010 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150403122928/http://www.randa.org/en/RandA/News/News/2008/October/Peter-Dawson-speaks-about-golf-s-Olympic-ambition.aspx |archive-date=3 April 2015}}</ref> before going on to win the [[PGA Championship]] in August.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/golf/galleries/2008/0811/236140-harrington/ |title=In Pictures: Harrington wins US PGA |date=11 August 2008 |access-date=14 August 2008 |publisher=RTÉ News |archive-date=2 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102174419/http://www.rte.ie/sport/golf/galleries/2008/0811/236140-harrington/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Harrington became the first European to win the PGA Championship in 78 years and was the first winner from Ireland. Three golfers from Northern Ireland have been particularly successful. In 2010, [[Graeme McDowell]] became the first Irish golfer to win the [[U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]], and the first European to win that tournament since 1970. [[Rory McIlroy]], at the age of 22, won the 2011 U.S. Open, while [[Darren Clarke]]'s latest victory was the [[2011 Open Championship]] at Royal St. George's. In August 2012, McIlroy won his 2nd major championship by winning the USPGA Championship by a record margin of 8 shots.

====Recreation====
The west coast of Ireland, [[Lahinch]] and [[Donegal Bay]] in particular, have popular surfing beaches, being fully exposed to the Atlantic Ocean. Donegal Bay is shaped like a funnel and catches west/south-west Atlantic winds, creating good surf, especially in winter. Since just before the year 2010, [[Bundoran]] has hosted European championship surfing. [[Scuba diving]] is increasingly popular in Ireland with clear waters and large populations of sea life, particularly along the western seaboard. There are also many shipwrecks along the coast of Ireland, with some of the best [[wreck dives]] being in [[Malin Head]] and off the County Cork coast.<ref>{{cite news |last=McDaid |first=Brendan |url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/imported/shipwrecks-ahoy-in-area-28256564.html |title=Shipwrecks ahoy in area |work=Belfast Telegraph |date=9 June 2004 |access-date=27 March 2010 |archive-date=21 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131221032823/http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/imported/shipwrecks-ahoy-in-area-28256564.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

With thousands of lakes, over {{convert|14000|km|mi|-2}} of fish-bearing rivers and over {{convert|7500|km|mi|-1}} of [[List of Irish counties by coastline|coastline]], Ireland is a popular [[angling]] destination. The temperate Irish climate is suited to sport angling. While [[salmon]] and [[trout]] fishing remain popular with anglers, salmon fishing, in particular, received a boost in 2006 with the closing of the salmon [[driftnet]] fishery. [[Coarse fishing]] continues to increase its profile. Sea angling is developed with many beaches mapped and signposted,<ref>{{cite web |title=Fishing in Ireland |publisher=Central and Regional Fisheries Boards |url=http://www.fishinginireland.info |access-date=26 March 2010 |archive-date=14 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100314113627/http://www.fishinginireland.info/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and the range of sea angling species is around 80.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sea Fishing in Ireland |publisher=Central and Regional Fisheries Boards |url=http://www.fishinginireland.info/sea |access-date=26 March 2010 |archive-date=23 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100323041928/http://www.fishinginireland.info/sea/ |url-status=live }}</ref>