What are the most popular native sports in Ireland. How does County Mayo contribute to Ireland’s sporting landscape. Why is horse racing deeply rooted in Irish culture. What are some unique sporting events held in Mayo.
The Gaelic Athletic Association: Preserving Ireland’s Sporting Traditions
The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), established in 1884, plays a pivotal role in preserving and promoting Ireland’s native sports. This organization is dedicated to cultivating national pastimes that are intrinsically linked to Irish identity. The GAA oversees three of Ireland’s most beloved native sports: hurling, camogie, and Gaelic football.
Hurling: An Ancient Celtic Warrior Sport
Hurling, known as Iomànàìocht in Irish, boasts a rich history dating back over 3,000 years to pre-Christian times. Originating from Celtic warrior traditions, it has earned the distinction of being one of the world’s fastest field games. The sport’s enduring popularity is a testament to its deep cultural roots and thrilling gameplay.
The Basics of Hurling
- Teams consist of 15 players: 1 goalkeeper, 6 backs, 2 midfielders, and 6 forwards
- Players use wooden flat sticks called “hurlies” (camàn in Irish) to hit a leather ball (sliotar)
- The objective is to score goals (worth 3 points) by passing the ball through the opponent’s goal
- Matches are played on a pitch 130-140 meters long and 80-90 meters wide
- Game duration is 70 minutes
Is hurling popular in County Mayo? While not traditionally a hurling stronghold, Mayo has seen growth in the sport’s popularity. The county boasts six senior hurling clubs: Tooreen, Ballyhaunis, Castlebar Mitchell’s, Westport, Ballina-Stephenites, and Belmullet. These teams compete for the TJ Tyrrel Senior Hurling Championship. Additionally, youth hurling is expanding in Mayo, with four main clubs: Ballyvary, Moytura, Caiseal Gaels, and Claremorris.
Camogie: The Female Counterpart to Hurling
Camogie, the women’s version of hurling, shares nearly identical rules with its male counterpart. The main difference lies in the match duration, which is 60 minutes for camogie. In County Mayo, the sport is growing, with three clubs dedicated to camogie. The most prominent among them is Na Brideogra Camogie Club, based in Tooreen, which offers teams for all age groups, starting from under-6.
Gaelic Football: The GAA’s Major Sport
Gaelic football, or Peil Ghaelach in Irish, is the GAA’s most popular sport. It combines elements of soccer and rugby, resulting in a fast-paced and physically demanding game. Like hurling, Gaelic football teams consist of 15 players, including a goalkeeper, six backs, two midfielders, and six forwards.
Key Features of Gaelic Football
- Players can carry, bounce, kick, and hand-pass a spherical leather ball
- The objective is to score points and goals, similar to hurling
- Matches are known for their speed and aggressive player contact
How does County Mayo fare in Gaelic football? Mayo has a strong tradition in the sport, with its senior Gaelic football team competing in the Connacht Senior Football Championship. The team has reached the final in recent years, including 2012 and 2013. Mayo’s clubs are divided into divisions across the North, South, East, and West of the county, fostering a vibrant local football scene.
Horse Racing: The Sport of Kings in Ireland
Horse racing holds a special place in Irish culture, often referred to as “the sport of kings.” This moniker originates from Celtic times when, according to Brehon law, participation was limited to “princes and sons of noblemen.” The deep-rooted passion for equestrian activities is particularly evident in County Mayo.
Mayo’s Equestrian Scene
- Numerous venues host cross-country races, horse trials, and show jumping events during summer
- Ballinrobe Racecourse, Mayo’s only official track, has a history dating back to 1773
- Exciting beach racing events take place at Lacken and Doolough
What makes Ballinrobe Racecourse unique? Purchased in 1921, it stands as the only racecourse in Mayo, continuing a long tradition of horse racing in the area. The venue combines the serious business of betting with a vibrant and enjoyable atmosphere, making race days a thrilling experience for attendees.
Unique Equestrian Events in Mayo
County Mayo offers several distinctive horse racing events that showcase the region’s equestrian heritage and provide exciting entertainment for locals and visitors alike.
Lacken Strand Races
Revived in 1997, the Lacken Strand Races have become one of Ireland’s leading equestrian events. These beach races take place towards the end of May each year, with the exact date determined by tidal conditions. The unique setting and competitive atmosphere make this event a must-see for horse racing enthusiasts.
Geesala Festival
Established in 1993, the Geesala Festival has grown into a diverse celebration of equestrian sports. The event features:
- Horse racing
- Show jumping
- Greyhound racing
This multi-faceted festival provides a comprehensive showcase of Ireland’s passion for various racing disciplines.
The Growing Popularity of Sports in Ireland
Ireland’s sporting landscape continues to evolve and expand, driven by the nation’s success across multiple disciplines. This growth in popularity has led to increased participation and spectator interest in a wide range of sports.
Top 10 Most Popular Sports in Ireland
- Soccer
- Gaelic Football
- Hurling
- Rugby
- Golf
- Horse Racing
- Boxing
- Athletics
- Cycling
- Swimming
How popular is soccer in Ireland? According to the Irish Sport Monitor annual report, 4.8% of adults over 15 participate in soccer throughout the country. This figure continues to grow exponentially, reflecting the sport’s enduring appeal and accessibility.
Mayo GAA: A Pillar of County Pride
Mayo GAA plays a crucial role in organizing and promoting Gaelic games within County Mayo. The organization’s influence extends beyond the playing field, serving as a source of local pride and community engagement.
Key Facts about Mayo GAA
- County colors: Green and red
- Home ground: McHale Park in Castlebar
- Standard kit: Green and red
How does Mayo GAA contribute to the local community? Beyond organizing competitions, Mayo GAA fosters a sense of identity and belonging among county residents. The organization’s activities bring people together, promote physical fitness, and provide a platform for showcasing local talent on a national stage.
Ireland’s sporting heritage is a vibrant tapestry of ancient traditions and modern passions. From the lightning-fast action of hurling to the thundering hooves on Ballinrobe Racecourse, sports play an integral role in shaping Irish culture and community life. County Mayo, with its diverse offering of Gaelic games, horse racing, and unique events, stands as a microcosm of Ireland’s rich sporting landscape.
As participation in sports continues to grow across the country, Ireland’s athletic prowess and enthusiasm show no signs of waning. The enduring popularity of native games, coupled with the rising interest in international sports, ensures that Ireland will remain a nation where sporting excellence and passionate fandom go hand in hand.
Whether cheering for the Mayo GAA team in a crucial Connacht Championship match or experiencing the thrill of beach horse racing at Lacken Strand, sports enthusiasts in Ireland are spoiled for choice. The country’s commitment to preserving traditional games while embracing new athletic challenges speaks to the adaptability and spirit of the Irish people.
As we look to the future, it’s clear that sports will continue to play a pivotal role in Irish society, fostering community bonds, promoting health and fitness, and providing endless entertainment for generations to come. From the ancient fields where hurling was born to the modern stadiums packed with passionate fans, Ireland’s sporting legacy is as strong and vibrant as ever.
Native Games of Ireland, Co. Mayo in the West of Ireland
The “national” games of Ireland are played today by the Gaelic Athletic Association or GAA, set up in 1884 “for the preservation and cultivation of National pastimes” and they are at the core of Irishness.
The most famous native sports are: hurling, camogie and Gaelic football.
Hurling
Hurling (in Irish Iomànàìocht) is a very ancient sport with its roots in pre-Christian times invented by the celtic warriors. It has been played for over 3,000 years and it is one of the fastest field games in the world. Every team has fifteen players: 1 goalkeeper, 6 backs, 2 midfielders and 6 forwards. They use wooden flat sticks called “hurlies” (in Irish Camàn) to hit a leather ball called a sliotar.
The players can catch the ball with their hands, carry it for not more than four steps, strike it in the air or on the ground with the hurley.
The objective is to pass the ball through the other team’s goal in order to score (a goal is worth 3 points).
The pitch is 130-140 metres long and 80-90 metres wide. The match lasts for 70 minutes.
County Mayo is not a traditional hurling county, but hurling is the dominant sport in some areas; there are 6 Senior hurling clubs: Tooreen, Ballyhaunis, Castlebar Mitchell’s, Westport, Ballina-Stephenites and Belmullet, who compete for the TJ Tyrrel Senior Hurling Championship. This sport at underage level is also expanding in Mayo with 4 main clubs: Ballyvary, Moytura, Caiseal Gaels and Claremorris.
Did you know?
Mayo GAA is responsible for Gaelic games in County Mayo.
The country colours are green and red.
The ground is McHale Park in Castlebar
Standard kit is green and red.
Camogie
Camogie is the female version of hurling and it has almost identical rules, the grass pitch is the same; the match lasts for 60 minutes. In Mayo there are 3 clubs, the main one is Na Brideogra Camogie Club based in Tooreen who have teams at all grades from under-6 upwards.
Gaelic Football
The GAA’s major sport is Gaelic football (in Irish Peil Ghaelach), a sort of safer form of hurling and a mixture between soccer and rugby. Games are fast and furious and the contact between players is aggressive. Like hurling every team has fifteen players and consists of a goalkeeper, six backs, two midfielders and six forwards.
The players can carry, bounce, kick and hand-pass the football, a spherical leather ball. The objective is to score points and goals, the same as in hurling.
County Mayo is very good at football and Mayo’s senior Gaelic football team play in the Connacht Senior Football Championship and they have been in the Final in 2012 and 2013. There are many clubs in Mayo and they are in divisions in North, South, East and West Clubs.
Horse Racing
Horse racing is a very deep rooted passion in Irish culture and it is often called “the sport of kings” because, in Celtic times, it was limited to “princes and sons of noblemen” according the “Brehon” law.
The Mayo people’s “love affair” with all things equestrian runs deep. In County Mayo there are many places where it is possible to see horses in action: cross-country races, horse trials and show jumping events are held in the Summer.
The only racecourse in Mayo is located in Ballinrobe where race meetings have been recorded in the area since 1773 and it boasts the only Race Course in Mayo, where racing has been held since it was purchased in 1921. Races are a frenzy of excitement and the seriuos business of backing winners and losers is done in a vibrant and fun environment.
Exciting horse racing events on the beach are held at Lacken and at Doolough during the Geesala Festival.
The Lacken Strand Races were revived in 1997 and take place towards the end of May each year, in line with ever-changing tidal conditions; nowadays they have become one of Ireland’s leading events.
The Geesala Festival was held in 1993 and includes horse racing, show-jumping and greyhound racing too.
The 10 most popular sports in Ireland
Sport in Ireland is forever growing and this is due to the great success we have had as a country in multiple sporting disciplines over the past decade. The huge success brings greater popularity in sport and we are extremely proud of that. With that in mind, we take a look at the 10 most popular sports in Ireland that continue to grow in popularity each day.
Soccer –
Soccer in Ireland has always been near the top of the most popular sports to be played and watched in the country. We like to get behind our nation in the international games and cheer them on. Whether it is in participation or spectating, people adore the game. According to Irish Sport Monitor annual report, 4.8% of adults over 15 participate in Soccer throughout the country and this number is forever growing exponentially.
The most popular sports globally
Gaelic Football –
Gaelic football has always been one of most popular sports in Ireland without a doubt.
From an early age you are most certain to have picked up a Gaelic football and played for your local team. It is the most attended sport in country with over 30% of sports attendances. A quite remarkable statistic for an amateur sport in a country so small.
The most popular sports in Australia
Golf –
Golf is one the most played sports in the country amongst young and old. Rory McIlroy is on Ireland’s finest golfers with 4 majors to his name. His hosting of the Irish Open has helped grow the game in the country and attract the younger generation to take up a club and start playing.
Most popular Olympic sportsÂ
Hurling –
Regarded as “the fastest game on earth”, hurling is played by two teams equipped with sticks (hurleys), chasing a small ball across a football-sized field. Hurling is native to Ireland is hugely popular in the GAA community. You have to extremely brave, skilled and fit to play this tremendous sport.
The top betting sites in Ireland
Rugby –
With over 8% of total attendances last year, Rugby in Ireland is very popular. Almost all schools, colleges and local communities compete in the game. The continued success of the Irish Rugby team has helped grow the popularity of the game also. A study from 2009, even showed that over 70% of the Irish population felt that Ireland winning their first Grand Slam since 1948 was one of the biggest sporting achievements in the country.
World Records that may never be broken
Volleyball –
Volleyball in Ireland is becoming hugely popular. It is a sport that is very fun and full of energetic action and also requires huge skill. A recent survey shows that over 100,000 children play volleyball at post-primary school level with this number continuously growing. Also over 400 schools are currently affiliated to the Volleyball Association Of Ireland which whom are trying to increase this number over the next few years.
The greatest athletes of all time
Boxing –
Boxing, which was once one of Ireland’s most popular sports is now regaining popularity. With more and more Irish success during the recent Olympic games and also on the Pro circuit. We have seen the rise of some superstars like female boxer Katie Taylor who has begun her professional career extremely well and is currently the lightweight champion of the world. With continued Irish success the sport is always growing from strength to strength in popularity.
The 10 most dangerous sports
Equestrian –
The various equestrian sports have a sizeable following in Ireland. These sports include show jumping, eventing, dressage, endurance riding, para-equestrian, polo and carriage driving. Cian O’Connor aiding us to a bronze medal in the London Olympics has helped increase the popularity of show jumping significantly in the country, with participation numbers increasing every year.
Cricket –
The rapidly-growing popularity of cricket in Ireland is showing no signs of slowing down. Over the last 3 years, junior participation numbers have more than doubled. They amount of cricket teams in Ireland has gone from 800 to well over 1,000 in the last few years also. With continued success in the Cricket World Cup, Irish Cricket is growing in popularity every day and has now over 25,000 children taking up the game last year.
The most followed athletes in sport
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Hurling | Irish Gaelic Games
Hurling
Background
Hurling is the most characteristic of Irish games, its origins are in Ireland’s ancient Celtic culture and the sport is mentioned in the legends of mythical Irish warrior Cuchulainn.
To the uninitiated the game of Hurling may resemble Hockey, but Hurling has more in common with the Scots Gaelic game of Shinty.
The Game of Hurling
Hurling follows the same scoring system and similar rules as the other major Gaelic Athletics Association sport, Gaelic Football, but the two games are played differently. Both games are played by 15 men a side and the object of each game is to score more points and goals than the opposing team. Each game has the distinctive H shaped goal posts; a goal is scored when the ball is put into the net, while a point is scored by hitting the ball over the bar but within the H posts.
Similar in shape to a hockey stick, the game of Hurling is played with sticks or hurleys, which are traditionally made from Ash wood and used to move the ball, known as a sliotar, which is a hard leather ball of 65mm in diameter.
When the sloitar is on the ground, it must be played by striking or lifting it off the ground with the hurley into the air where it may be struck again or placed into the hand for either four seconds or four steps, whichever comes first.
However if the sloitar is caught, the catching player may not throw it or carry it using the hurley’s base for the shorter of four paces or four seconds, but is allowed to strike it with a stick or hand, or by kicking.
Arguably the oldest field team sport in Europe, Hurley was brought to the shores of Ireland by the ancient Celts some 2,000 years ago and the sport is chronicled throughout Irish folklore. It is also regarded as the fastest moving field team sport in the world. It’s a tough game, very much a contact sport, where no quarter is given or asked for. You’ll see sliothars and hurleys flying around at head height and though some players wear helmets, it isn’t obligatory and the majority don’t even where them!
Competitive Hurling
In accordance with the structure of the GAA, Hurling is an amateur sport played at county and club level. The main competition in Hurling is the Inter-County Championships. Teams from each of the 32 counties of Ireland, as well as teams from London and New York, battle it out for a place in the All Ireland Finals, held at Croke Park each September.
This final is one of the biggest sporting events in the country, as 80,000 people pack out Ireland’s largest stadium, to cheer on their home county and hopefully watch their team lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup.
County Hurling Honours
Over the years the game of Hurling has seen many great teams and challengers. Tipperary, where the game was first codified in the town of Thurles, were a major force during the 1960s reaching six All Ireland Finals from 1961 to 1968 and winning all but one. The next decade saw the dominance of two of the game’s great contenders, Cork and Kilkenny. From 1969 to 1979 one of these two hurling superpowers where in the finals and the two met each other at Croke Park three times to compete in some of the game’s most memorable matches. The Kilkenny Cats were winners on two of these occasions, in 1969 and 1972, but Cork won in 1978 to make it three in a row for the Leesiders. The 1980s and 1990s saw the rise of teams such as Limerick, Galway, Offaly and Clare who would challenge the dominance of the big three of Cork, Kilkenny and Tipperary.
But in recent years the battle between the old enemies Cork and Kilkenny have been renewed. Of the seven All-Ireland Finals that were to take place between 1999 and 2005, only one was not contested by either Cork or Kilkenny and the two have battled it out three times. In 2004 Cork met Kilkenny in a game with it all to play; the Cats were chasing their first treble, while Cork wanted revenge for their defeat the previous year. With both teams winning 28 titles each, this final was to be the decider. After a tight game Cork won 0-17 to 0-9 and went on to win the next year. Kilkenny however went on to win in 2006 through to 2008, beating Cork in 2006, Limerick in 2007 and Waterford in 2008. From 2009 to 2011, Kilkenny met Tipperary in what was the first ever time that same two teams played in the All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final for three years in a row. Kilkenny took the wins in 2009 and 2011, with Tipperary winning in 2010. Continuing their Hurling dominance and appearing in their seventh consecutive final, Kilkenny reigned supreme again in 2012, beating Galway to win the 2012 Final.
Hurling Greats
Throughout the years Hurling has had its share of characters and sporting heroes. These men not only won at the highest level, training as hard as any sportsman, but they also held regular jobs, playing their sport as amateurs for the love of the game – a rare quality indeed for any sport today. Greats like Eddie Keher, who helped Kilkenny win six All Ireland titles between 1963 and 1975 and scored 194 points in just 21 games. Or Christy Ring, the Corkman who won eight All Ireland medals during the 40s and 50s. Ring is still one of the games all time top scorers and is so respected in his native Cork, that they named a bridge after him. And of course there is Jack Lynch, a successful Hurler and Footballer wining All Ireland medals with Cork in each sport, who went on to lead Ireland as Taoiseach (Ireland’s Premier), during the 60s and 70s.
Uniquely Irish, if you get the opportunity to watch a Hurling match while here on your Ireland Vacation be sure you do, there are plenty of opportunities to catch live matches within local grounds up and down the country or alternatively with extensive coverage on Irish Television, bigger matches can always be enjoyed over a glass of the black stuff!
Hotels close to Croke Park
Hotels near Pairc Ui Chaoimh
A True Story of Crime and Art: Hart, Matthew: Amazon.
com: Books
From Publishers Weekly
In this engaging account of how stolen paintings have become collateral in the international drug trade, starting with the 1974 theft of a priceless Vermeer from an Irish estate, British author Hart (Diamond: A Journey to the Heart of an Obsession) offers a convincing revisionist view of the closest thing the book has to a protagonist, legendary Irish thug Martin Cahill (aka “The General”). The case that the “slovenly, loyal, suspicious, immovable” Cahill was no mastermind, however, tends to render the narrative more prosaic than dramatic, as does the argument that most heists, including the sensational 1990 robbery from Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and the 1994 theft of Edvard Munch’s The Scream, involved more chutzpah and embarrassing security lapses than Topkapi-like planning. The author’s primary strength lies in his character portraits-he describes one upper-class art thief as rooting around “in the issues of the day like someone picking through a bin for a hat that would fit.
” The dedicated Irish police who tracked these criminals and attempted numerous stings to recover the paintings deserve credit for their heroism, but they aren’t particularly memorable. Still, Hart sheds light on a little-known area of modern crime that should be of interest to many general readers.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
British journalist Hart, author of Diamond: A Journey into the Heart of an Obsession (2001), continues his investigation into criminal covetousness in a set of brisk and fascinating accounts of international art heists, including the 1994 snatching of Edvard Munch’s The Scream. He primarily focuses on two brazen assaults on Russborough, an isolated Irish estate with an improbably stupendous art collection, which included Vermeer’s Lady Writing a Letter with Her Maid. The first occurred in 1974, orchestrated not by an archcriminal but by an inept, IRA-supporting British heiress.
A dozen years later, a true outlaw, Martin Cahill, made off with the Russborough masterpieces and sent the authorities on a maddening quest. Hart vividly portrays colorful characters on both sides of the law, and vigorously chronicles complex investigations and two stunning discoveries pertaining to the so-called Irish Vermeer in a lively chronicle that arouses both wry admiration for the sheer gall of art thieves and outrage at the thought of irreplaceable art treasures in the hands of thugs, many seeking nothing more than collateral for drug deals. Donna Seaman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
About the Author
A skilled writer and journalist, Matthew Hart is also an editor of the New York trade magazine Rapaport Diamond Report. His articles on diamonds have appeared in such publications as The Atlantic Monthly and The Financial Post. He has written for newspapers, television, and film.
His books include three novels and two previous works of nonfiction, including the story of the greatest gold discovery in the western hemisphere. He lives in Toronto.
What is Hurling? – Montreal Shamrocks
Hurling is an Irish team sport sport played with a wooden stick (hurley) and a small ball (a Sliotar).
It shares a number of features with Gaelic football, such as the field and goals, number of players, and much terminology.
It is typically played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch, although here in North America we play smaller sized games to suit the smaller sports facilities available.
Positions in Hurling are similar to that in other team games codes, and comprise one goalkeeper, six defenders, two midfielders, and six forwards, with a variable number of substitutes. These numbers will change depending on the size of the field available.
Typically, we play with seven a side when playing indoor during the winter, and nine a side when playing outdoors during the summer and autumn months.
How to Play
- Unlike in other games, where players from each team line up in their own half, Hurlers players start a game positioned on either side of the half, and pair themselves with an opposing team’s player. For example, the midfielders from each team will line up together at the centre-line of the field. The forwards will position themselves in front of the opposing team’s goal, and the fullbacks will line up beside the opposing team’s forwards. Defensively speaking, you are now paired with a player from the opposing team, and you will be “covering” that person for the duration of the game
- The game begins with the Sliotar being thrown in between all four midfielders in the centre. Players will attempt to play the ball along the ground in either direction, and towards a teammate.
- Players are given only four seconds or four steps to advance the ball.
- However – the player may only handle the ball twice with it is in their possession. Once the player has taken the ball into their hand a second time, they must play the ball without handling it again.
The player must use their Hurley to raise the ball of the ground and into their hands, they are not permitted to pick the ball up off the ground.
After four steps, the player must either play the ball by striking the ball with their Hurley, or slapped with an open hand (the hand pass), or kicking it. Alternatively they can opt to bounce or balance the sliotar on the end of the Hurley and may move with the ball like this for as long as they like.
Tackling
- the “block”, where one player attempts to smother an opposing player’s strike by trapping the ball between their hurley and the opponent’s swinging hurl
- the “hook”, where a player approaches another player from a rear angle and attempts to catch the opponent’s hurley with their own at the top of the swing
- the “side pull”, where two players running together for the sliotar will collide at the shoulders and swing together to win the tackle and “pull” (name given to swing the hurley) with extreme force
How to score
In the game, two types of scores are possible: points and goals.
- A point is awarded for kicking or hand-passing the ball over the crossbar, signalled by the umpire raising a white flag.
- A goal is awarded for kicking the ball under the crossbar into the net, signalled by the umpire raising a green flag.
Hurling is played throughout the world, and is popular among members of the Irish diaspora in North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Argentina, and is becoming popular among the locals. Especially in places like Montreal where Baseball and Hockey will have given some new players a few key skills that will transfer across.
There is no professional league, so the players today are unpaid amateurs. In many parts of Ireland, it is a fixture of life. It has featured regularly in art forms such as film and literature.
The final of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship was listed in second place by CNN in its “10 sporting events you have to see live”, after the Olympic Games and ahead of both the FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Football Championship.
With more ways to watch the sport outside of Ireland, more and more people are falling in love with the game, with move to start showing hurling matches on Sky Sports in the UK taking twitter by storm, as well as occasional showings in Canada and the US.
Here in Montreal, Gaelic games are quite popular, and hurling is a prominent fixture on the Montreal shamrocks calendar – with the city playing host to a yearly tournament each May, with teams from all over Eastern Canada and parts of the United States travelling to compete. On top of that, Ottawa, Quebec, and Toronto will all host tournaments through the summer months, and there is an Eastern Canadian Championship, run the the Eastern Canadian GAA board, which changes location every year.
Azerbaijan v Ireland: Why a game that matters so little means so much
In the small talk that kicked off a chat with visiting reporters at the team hotel in Baku, Stephen Kenny mentioned that Wales had spent a good portion of their European Championship summer in the luxurious surrounds of the Hilton.
t’s fitting as he would like to go to the places where Wales have gone as a football nation, effectively because they function as a working example of what he is trying to achieve as Ireland manager.
Kenny’s admission that he was always looking to Euro 2024 as the endgame for his rebuilding project has drawn a degree of derision in certain quarters, and not just because it seemed to be a tactical comment in the context of contract chat, with some voices opposed to the idea of writing off a campaign
A decade ago, however, Wales were doing just that, dropping to an all-time low of 117 in the world rankings as they blooded young players and accepted short-term pain for long-term gain.
They were operating under a different level of expectation, seeing as qualification for Euro 2016 ended a 58-year wait for major tournament participation.
But it looks set to become more of a regular thing now with a winning habit developed in tandem with a steady production line.
That is the aspiration for Kenny, yet he knows that his prospects of sticking around and proving he can do that with Ireland will be severely compromised if this World Cup qualifying year ends without a qualifying win of any description.
Baku is the best remaining chance of delivering that.
As it happens, Azerbaijan now hold the dreaded 117 slot in the FIFA charts, yet there’s no sense that this is a nation about to begin a Welsh-style leap, even though their investment into the game at youth level would put Irish spending in the shade.
They are a limited side who can prove difficult to break down, even though their list of recent results would tackle the suggestion they are difficult to beat.
Kenny has repeatedly referenced their ability to quickly build a defensive block under pressure, and there was evidence of that in Dublin last month. Yet he also expects them to show more ambition at home which will leave space that a competent side should be capable of exploiting.
While it’s a dead-rubber in the context of the qualification race, this is a hugely significant game for both managers with opposite number Gianni De Biasi in an even more vulnerable position than Kenny, according to local reports.
Indeed, this is one of those games where the outcome is likely to live longer in the memory of the men in the dugout as opposed to the protagonists on the pitch.
It would be a stretch to say that big-game fever hangs in the air. The fever that temporarily confined Adam Idah and Jason Knight to their rooms was the main talking point arising from Kenny’s ruminations but, happily, their condition improved across the day.
Beyond that, his eve-of-game ruminations went in a variety of different directions.
In a practice similar to his preferred media strategy ahead of big European games with Dundalk, Kenny was happy to expand on his thoughts at his team’s HQ in a more relaxed setting than the stilted stadium gig which can be stop-start when translations are factored into the equation.
At one point, he asked his communications officer to sit down with the group rather than stand over him as he considered a question about what needs to be improve from the first meeting between the sides. The trademark long pause before speaking can be uncomfortable in a virtual setting but feel more considered in person.
This is because it tends to be followed by a lengthy response, with Kenny duly giving a detailed breakdown of how Azerbaijan approached their kick-outs and how Ireland’s response made life too easy for them.
“We have to have a more cohesive out-of-possession plan,” he concluded. “Not that we didn’t but we obviously need to improve on what we did.” In other words, the brief for the Irish players will be to press harder with intensity and anticipate the Azeri movements.
Starting a tired Aaron Connolly and hesitant Troy Parrott either side of Idah last time out was a mistake. Callum Robinson should come into the equation this time around, with Kenny and skipper John Egan stressing that the vaccine comments haven’t affected the mood of the West Brom attacker.
Kenny did effectively say he wants to stick with the same system that was employed with a variety of personnel in June and last month. “On television people thought we were playing 3-5-2 against Portugal, we didn’t play 3-5-2: Jamie McGrath played on the right as a right-sided 10, with Aaron Connolly playing higher on the left,” he explained.
That McGrath role is of most interest in terms of team selection here. After giving his all against Portugal, McGrath was benched for the Azerbaijan match on account of battery power concerns and had no issue with it. He’s a creative player and might actually be suited to a scenario where Azerbaijan adopt a low block.
But a fully fit Knight would be a strong alternative with his ability to run in behind with well-timed advances. Kenny respects his game intelligence and Knight showed in Hungary in the summer that he was flexible to a change of shape within a match.
The alternative option is Chiedozie Ogbene, and it’s expected the Rotherham player will figure at some stage and is even an outside contender to start.
“We are learning about him still, and he has attributes we don’t have,” said Kenny, a reference to the 24-year-old’s natural speed.
Ireland haven’t kept a clean sheet in the group, but there seems to be an air of confidence around the defensive structure with Andrew Omobamidele set to be retained next to John Egan and Shane Duffy on the right of the back three. Jeff Hendrick should step into midfield next to Josh Cullen whereas the well-being of Enda Stevens will determine whether he usurps James McClean at left wing-back with Matt Doherty a lock for the other side.
Kenny has chopped and changed a lot during the year, and continuity has eluded him for reasons that have often but not always been beyond his control.
The hope is that the group has come out stronger on the other side of the adversity with a question on Duffy’s resurgence leading to a wider chat about David Forde’s role in the camp as a sounding board for players with things on their mind.
“I have been managing for a long time now. There is various experiences that people go through. Every team that I have managed you are not going to have a situation where everyone’s lives are perfect,” said Kenny, moving away from Duffy’s specific case.
“There has always been issues but maybe in the last couple of years there has been an increase in anxiety, which is not a new development but maybe it is something that is being identified more – anxiety in young players. I am still learning about that really.
“That’s why we have a brilliant staff here. David is in the camp because he helps with that area, although I don’t want to label anyone who goes to him as having anxiety. You want to be careful with that.”
It feeds into the view of Kenny as a deeper thinker, who h as sought to bring an attention to detail in all aspects of match preparation. But it’s the big picture of the scoreboard that needs to be telling the right story at full-time tonight; victories are required to attach meaning to the building of fresh foundations behind the scenes.
Never has a game which matters so little meant so much.
A Virtual Journey to Ireland With This Video Game
Thanks to the pandemic, nature and history lovers, no matter in which corner of the world, cannot really imagine exploring the beauty of the Emerald Isle by travelling there. But if you happen to play the popular video game Assassin’s Creed® Valhalla, you could travel there virtually and immerse yourselves in the breathtaking landscapes of Ireland in the game’s first major expansion, Wrath of the Druids. Playing as Eivor, a fierce Viking clan-leader, they will have to make their way through haunted forests and dazzling sceneries while gaining influence among Gaelic Kings.
To celebrate Ireland’s starring role in the recently launched expansion, Tourism Ireland has teamed up with Ubisoft to highlight the destination’s otherworldly landscapes, rich culture and fascinating myths and folklore that feature in the Wrath of the Druids.
The game takes players to famous historical landmarks such as the Giant’s Causeway in County Antrim, the Hill of Tara in County Meath, the mountain of Ben Bulben in County Sligo and the city of Dublin.
The story takes place about 80 years after the first Viking raid on Ireland and four decades after the Vikings first settled Dublin. At the time of the Vikings, Dublin was a bustling trading port, and so the city, filled with enemies and allies, will be a central hub in the game.
Players encounter fascinating landscapes such as the famous Giant’s Causeway in County Antrim. This geological wonder is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and steeped in the legend of Fionn mac Cumhaill, who was leader of an ancient band of warriors called the Fianna.
Read: Where Can You See Mythical Ireland?
Other inspiring sites that appear include the mountain of Ben Bulben in County Sligo, forever linked to an array of Celtic legends and with one of Ireland’s greatest poets, W.B Yeats.
Armagh, associated with Cúchulainn, the greatest of all Irish warriors also features, as will the evocative Hill of Tara in County Meath. Dating back to 2000 BC Tara was the actual seat of the High Kings of Ireland and remains central to Gaelic identity and culture today.
Wrath of the Druids players also have the chance to conquer ringforts, which were circular fortified settlements heavily in use in Ireland at the time. The diameter of these defensive structures ranged from 15m (50 feet) up to as large as 35m (115 feet). Designed to keep raiders out and animals in, more than 45,000 ringforts still survive in Ireland today, with the stone built Grianán of Aileach in County Donegal on the Wild Atlantic Way one of best examples to be found.
Eivor’s new adventure will give players the opportunity to unravel the mysteries of an ancient druidic cult, The Children of Danu, based on the Tuatha Dé Danann, a race of deities and heroes in Irish mythology who were skilled in the arts, science, poetry and magic.
They’ll encounter mythological figures, such as the Púca and the Morrigan, who are associated with Samhain, an ancient Celtic festival that can be traced back as the birthplace of Halloween. These figures remain at the centre of Irish Halloween traditions today and The Púca Festival, a twenty-first-century Samhain celebration, is held in County Meath and neighbouring County Louth every year.
Read: Game of Thrones Locations in Ireland
“The Viking heritage and myriad of Celtic myths in Ireland were absolutely the perfect fit for Wrath of the Druids, our first expansion of AC Valhalla,” said Fabian Salomon (Producer at Ubisoft Bordeaux).
He added: “We worked with experts to ensure the accuracy of the story and put much effort into making this expansion as authentic and as interesting as possible. With deep narrative exploration, all new features for players to try out and fantastic new Viking and Celtic locations to explore, we believe the end product will not just excite our audience but will do justice to Ireland’s incredible history and mythology.”
90,000 Hurling – what is this game?
It is believed that the Celts brought hurling to the Irish lands. The history of the game goes back over 2000 thousand years. The team sport continues to develop today and is gaining more and more popularity. Hurling is now firmly associated with Ireland and its culture.
The history of real hurling
Ireland is rightfully called the homeland of the team game. It is there that this sport has a huge success. Of course, hurling is also played in other countries, but the Irish consider it to be their cultural heritage.
Many centuries ago, each Irish village had its own teams that played with special wooden clubs on the field. When the British conquered the Irish lands in the 12th century, they tried to ban this game, but the ban was violated all the time.
In the 18th century, 21 counties of Ireland played Hurling. Dublin’s prestigious Trinity College was the first to attempt to establish a standard for the game in 1879.
In 1884, hurling was recognized as an official sport in Ireland.Since 1887, a large-scale championship even began to be held. There appeared their absolute champions – teams from Cork, Kilkenny and Tipperary.
Game inventory
To play hurling, players will need:
- Hurley wood sticks;
- Game ball schlitar;
- Helmet.
The size of a leather ball can be up to 72 cm in diameter.
The ball in hurling can fly at a speed of 150 km / h, it all depends on the strength of the player’s serve.
Due to the high injury rate, all teams have been obliged to wear helmets since 2010. Previously, only women and children wore them.
Hurling: rules of
The game is played on a field with grass. Special gates are installed at the edges of the field. The team consists of 15 players. Each team has its own goalkeeper.
Today the game lasts over an hour. In the early days of hurling, teams could play all day.
A ball falling to the ground must be hit with a stick.A flying ball caught by a player can be swept in the hand for 4 steps. Then the ball must be hit by another player, or must be sent to the opponent’s goal.
There are special lines on the hurling field that are not allowed to throw the ball. The game is monitored by the referees and referees. The points of a particular team depend on where the ball hit the goal. If to the top, then one point is awarded, if to the bottom, then three.
Irish Hurling Features
For all its tradition, hurling has a number of features.For example, the ball can be hammered with a club, hand or foot, or even any other part of the body.
Another feature of hurling is the goal for the game. Inside the main structure there are two rods, when hitting which are also counted. So double counting in hurling is common.
This sport is the fastest in the world among its kind. The hurling field is much larger than for the same football. At least 80 thousand spectators come to the final of the championship in Dublin.
Hurling is a tough sport. Officially, in it, players can only contact with their shoulders, but in practice, jabs and jolts occur with anything and anytime. Each Hurler team is a county squad. Teams have a territorial reference, which is different from many other sports.
Hurling is often compared to field hockey, and the sport has been compared to killing as well. The Irish have such a peculiar humor. The dynamism of this sport and its spectacularity help the hurling to remain megapopular after so many centuries.
90,000 Unsuccessful Dublin: why Euro 2020 matches were moved from Ireland to Russia | Articles
On 23 April, the UEFA Executive Committee decided to postpone three matches of Group E of the European Football Championship in 2021 from Dublin to St. Petersburg. The epidemiological situation did not allow the Irish capital to confirm matches with spectators. Thus, Russia will host seven Euro 2020 games. Experts are confident that our country, which recently hosted the FIFA World Cup, will cope with the organization of meetings and this tournament without any problems.
Ensure attendance
Rumors that the number of matches of the continental championship in St. Petersburg may be increased have been circulating since last year. There was even information that the entire tournament could take place on the territory of Russia. The prerequisites for this were obvious: our country recently hosted the World Cup, all infrastructure facilities are ready and in excellent condition. However, UEFA did not have to resort to such radical measures.
The key argument to take away the matches from Dublin and give them to Peter was that the Irish government could not guarantee the admission of spectators to the stadium due to the situation with the coronavirus in the country. UEFA is quite rightly confident that it will be very boring without spectators at the stadiums. Russia, on the other hand, guaranteed at least 50 percent occupancy of the arena. In addition, it is possible that by the beginning of the tournament – of course, if the epidemiological situation improves – the number of fans may increase to 75%.
Peter was given three more group stage matches: on June 14 at the Gazprom Arena stadium the game Poland-Slovakia will take place, on June 18 – the meeting between the national teams of Sweden and Slovakia, and on June 23 – the Sweden-Poland match. But the playoff match, which was supposed to take place in Dublin, was eventually given to London.
During the 2018 FIFA World Cup match in Moscow
Photo: Izvestia / Artem Korotaev
“It’s very good that those games that were supposed to take place in Dublin were moved to St. Petersburg,” ex-striker of the Russian national team Igor Kolyvanov shared his opinion with Izvestia.- Firstly, in our country there is a high attendance of football matches. Especially when it comes to national teams and a tournament of such a level as the European Championship. Secondly, St. Petersburg is fully ready to accept these games, fans and teams. We have an excellent infrastructure, and this was celebrated by almost everyone during the 2018 World Cup. I think everyone will be satisfied with the quality of the tournament games in Russia.
The sign of trust
Let us remind you that initially only four matches were supposed to take place in St. Petersburg.Three of them are in the group stage: Belgium-Russia (June 12), Finland-Russia (June 16) and Finland-Belgium (June 21). And on July 2, it is planned to play one of the quarterfinals of the tournament, which will close the program of Euro 2020 matches in the Northern capital of Russia.
“For Russia there are advantages of transferring matches from Dublin to St. Petersburg,” noted Russian coach Alexander Tarkhanov in an interview with Izvestia. – Games of Poland, Sweden and Slovakia will attract additional spectators. We have a great stadium, and it will definitely be full.As for the decision to transfer the Euro matches to our country, this suggests that Russia is valued at UEFA. And we have a very recent experience with the 2018 World Cup. In addition, UEFA assesses the epidemiological situation, and we are not as tough with this now as in some other countries. In my opinion, the decision is absolutely logical and correct.
There is no doubt that Peter will have no problem playing additional matches for such a major tournament. The northern capital has a wealth of experience in organizing major football events.
St. Petersburg Stadium, ready to host matches of the European Football Championship
Photo: RIA Novosti / Alexey Danichev
– We with the Russian Football Union are grateful for the trust and recognition from UEFA, – Alexey Sorokin, CEO of the Euro 2020 organizing committee in St. Petersburg, commented on the decision to postpone the games. – The pandemic is developing unevenly, and, unfortunately, some cities are in a difficult situation.But this is not their fault. We have no doubts that the field of the St. Petersburg stadium will withstand the tight schedule of Euro matches. We will conduct a dialogue with the city on the allocation of additional capacities in the organizational process. We are sure that St. Petersburg will perfectly cope with the arrival of additional teams and fans and will lend a shoulder to our Euro partners.
The stadium in St. Petersburg is becoming one of the most important places in world football. Since 2017, the matches of the Confederations Cup and the World Cup have already taken place there.This summer, St. Petersburg will host seven Euro 2020 games, and the Champions League final is scheduled for May 2022.
The European Championship will take place from 11 June to 11 July 2021. The tournament was supposed to take place last summer, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, it was postponed for a year. UEFA has decided to keep the Euro 2020 title. This is a jubilee tournament, and in honor of the 60th anniversary of the first European Championship it was decided to hold it on the territory of 12 European cities at once. But after Dublin fell away, 11 cities remained.It was also decided to transfer matches from one Spanish city to another – from Bilbao to Seville. Amsterdam, Baku, Budapest, Bucharest, Glasgow, Copenhagen, London, Rome and Munich also confirmed their readiness to host the tournament games with spectators.
War of the Worlds: Ireland | Wholesale Games, Hobby World
Defend Ireland from an alien enemy!
In this add-on to the board game War of the Worlds: A New Threat, you will be transported to the lands of Ireland, invaded by the Martian invaders.Take on your friends in this exciting world bestselling game now in War of the Worlds: Ireland! This is an asymmetric duel based on the famous work of HG Wells “The War of the Worlds”, in which people and Martians fight for survival for 30-60 minutes.
Green Island in Danger
Alien invaders have reached the land of St. Patrick. Now you have to defend the Irish territories from the Martians. But civilian courts and the region’s new infrastructure will come to your aid.
Ireland makes War of the Worlds more complex and strategic with a new additional field with unique regions and new maps for each side.
The add-on makes the basic version more complex, adding new opportunities for action on a new map and with a new set of maps for each party to the conflict.
The game has the opportunity to fight both for the valiant defenders of the earth – the self-defense forces of Great Britain – and choose the side of the Martian invaders.When playing as the British Armed Forces, your goal will be to inflict some damage on the invading forces, and when you choose the alien side, your goal will be to completely destroy the population of the UK.
The outcome of this battle will depend only on you.
Fight the alien invader
The events of the board game “War of the Worlds: Ireland” take place several years after the events described in the novel by H.G. Wells. The alien expansion is repeated, but this time the Martians arrive in a giant spaceship that lands in one of the distant regions of Scotland.During the game, one of the players will take the place of the commander of the army of alien invaders, and his opponent will lead the self-defense forces of Great Britain.
The most significant change is that the main theater of war will expand with the map of the British Isles, where the main confrontation will take place. The new map will contain both sea and land locations in which you have to fight the Martian threat.
The change in the game part also consists in the appearance of new game cards, which will significantly expand the strategic space for conducting combat operations.
Attention! This is an add-on. To play you will need the basic version of War of the Worlds: The New Threat.
Traveling to Game of Thrones filming locations, Ireland
Do you miss a dose of action-packed stories of warring armies, naughty dragons and cunning courtiers? Fans of the popular TV series “Game of Thrones” can relax – the screening of the next season of the fantasy series starts on April 24th.
In the new episodes, just like before, you will follow the adventures of representatives of noble families seeking power over the fictional continent of Westeros.As you watch, you won’t be left with the feeling that the gripping storyline is rooted in real people and real places. We’ve selected some of the most interesting Game of Thrones filming locations for you. Now you can visit the cold North without even being a Night Watch fighter, or stroll through the fortifications of King’s Landing without fear of stumbling upon a little tyrant king. The locations described in this article are not only great filming locations, but also great travel destinations in their own right.
County Down, Northern Ireland
County Down is where it all began. The very first episode of Game of Thrones, in which two Night’s Watch scouts are killed north of the Wall, was filmed in Tollymore Forest Park.
The nearby Castle Ward played the role of Winterfell, home of the Starks, the sympathetic rulers of the North. And the ruins of Inch Abbey became the Riverlands, Riverland, where the army of the northerners was before the crossing of the Trident River and where Robb and Catelying Stark learned of the execution of Ned Stark and vowed revenge.All of the above locations are located near the town of Newcastle, southeast of Belfast. Easy to get to from the city.
Once you are in County Down, you will immediately understand why the filmmakers chose it: the harsh nature of the highlands and the tranquil scenic coastline form one of the most attractive corners of the region. Hiking enthusiasts will spend their time here especially pleasantly. They can travel to the Morne Mountains, where granite slopes are dotted with whitewashed houses and covered with yellow gorse flowers.The old brandy smuggler trail runs through the Tollimore Mountain Range and Forest Park and ends in Newcastle.
Stay at Briers Country House or, following the example of the Dothraki, sleep in a tent at the Tollymore Forest Park s campsite.
County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Many scenes from Game of Thrones have been filmed along the majestic coastline and rolling countryside of County Antrim.The village of Ballintoy, as if descended from a bright postcard, became Lordsport in the series with Pike Castle, the island base of the Greyjoy clan, overlords similar to the Iron Men of the Vikings. A little further on the coast is the port town of Ballycastle, portrayed in the film as Fricity, birthplace of the scheming eunuch Varis. Slightly off the coast is Dark Hedges Road, which runs near the town of Ballymoney and became part of the Royal Route, along which Arya Stark, the youngest daughter of Eddard and Catelyn, fled from the soldiers of King Joffrey.
The landscapes of these places are no less remarkable than the scenes filmed in their background. It is home to some of the most important landmarks in Northern Ireland: the famous Giant’s Causeway and the Carrick Red Rope Suspension Bridge. The two attractions are connected by a scenic coastal road with stunning views of sand dunes and sea cliffs.
Tired of admiring the sights? Ballintoe has an excellent B&B, Whitepark House, and a few steps from the Giant’s Causeway is the Causeway Hotel.If you don’t want the hassle of organizing your trip to Northern Ireland on your own, you can always book a tour at a specialized travel agency.
Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland
Iceland’s majestic, windswept landscapes provide the perfect backdrop for capturing events north of the Wall on the wild outskirts of Westeros. Here the Night’s Watch took on a desperate battle with the wildlings at Fist of the First Men Hill. This hill in the television series is the Svinafellsjökull Glacier in Vatnajökull National Park.It also became the Fangs of Frost, a mountain range that covers much of the far north of Westeros. But Iceland’s role in the series is much broader. In the north of the island country is Lake Myvatn, where the horde of Mans the Raider camped. In July, scenes from the life of quieter regions near the Wall were filmed here.
Vatnajökull National Park covers more than 10% of Iceland and is the largest ice cap outside the polar zones. The park attracts serious hikers and climbers.The residents of Reykjavik, located 250 kilometers west of the park, also like to relax here on weekends. Visitors to Vatnajökull explore glaciers, waterfalls and caves, walk through forests and climb the highest mountains in Iceland.
There are few places to sleep in the park. Staying here is only possible at the visitor center campsite and at the Bolti Farm Guest House. Both sites are located in Skaftafell, the southern section of the national park.
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Dubrovnik is sparkling white stone city walls and sun-drenched beaches on the southern coast of Dalmatia.A perfect location for King’s Landing, the seat of the Iron Throne and capital of the Seven Kingdoms.
Walking along the top of the well-preserved medieval defensive walls of the Old City, you can admire the scene where the Battle of the Black Water Bay was filmed. The fortress Lavrienac, located on the opposite side of the bay, became the majestic Red Fort in the “Games of the Throne”. As you walk around Mincheta Tower, the highest point of the Old City’s fortifications, you will follow in the footsteps of Daenerys Targaryen, who tried to enter the House of the Immortals to save her dragons.In Dubrovnik and its environs, there are still many places that served as filming locations for certain episodes of the series. If you book the appropriate tour, you can be sure not to miss anything interesting.
In a few minutes by boat from the resort town of Dubrovnik, there is a picturesque islet of Lokrum, on which scenes were filmed in Kvart, with its beautiful forests and wonderful beaches. You can take a whole day to explore the island. Thirteen kilometers northwest of Dubrovnik is the Trsten Gardens, a splendid Renaissance tree park.In this arboretum, Sansa Stark met with Margaery Tyrell and Lady.
Some of the best places to stay in Dubrovnik’s Old Town are Karmen Apartments and Fresh Sheets Hostel.
Split, Croatia
For the fourth season, the film crew moved north of Dubrovnik to the seaside town of Split. In the Klis fortress and the quarry in rnovnica (both located just northeast of Split) scenes of epic battles and many simpler episodes were filmed, which you will soon see in the new episodes.
The main location for filming in Split itself is the Diocletian’s Palace, one of the most impressive ancient Roman landmarks in the world. The palace was built in 295 AD, ten years before the end of the emperor’s reign. The large square fortress has not turned into a boring museum – it has become the bustling “heart” of the city, with bars, shops and restaurants nestled within the ancient walls. To see the filming location, go down to the cellars at the southern end of the palace, where food and wine were kept in Roman times.
If you want to feel like an emperor, Vestibul Palace and Peristil hotels are at your service. Both hotels are located in the palace complex.
Essaouira, Morocco
Astapor in the Bay of Slavers is the place where Daenerys Targaryen achieved her goal: she freed an army of slaves, deceiving their evil master, and then killed him with the help of her fire-breathing dragon. Undoubtedly, for such hot scenes, appropriate scenery was needed.The seaside Moroccan city of Essaouira became a worthy background for these episodes. The film crew also came in handy with the old sandstone fortifications, and the ancient alley, and the cold North Atlantic wind waving flags, and the cries of seagulls in the background.
In reality, Essaouira is one of the quietest and most suitable holiday destinations in all of Morocco. Surfers come here to catch the waves, and the city is also widely known for its rich artistic scene. Small studios and galleries line the many narrow streets.In Essaouira, you can always buy elaborate carvings and other delightful souvenirs. You can even try yourself as a woodcarver in one of the workshops.
You can stay at the Dar al Bahar hotel, which offers magnificent views of the rocky coast. A great place for a Game of Thrones-style fantasy. Do you prefer a more realistic look of Essaouira? Head to Dar Afram, a lively guesthouse in the heart of the medieval medina.NOC
90,000 of Ireland supports the postponement of the 2020 Olympic Games
https://rsport.ria.ru/20200323/15669.html
The NOC of Ireland supports the postponement of the 2020 Olympic Games
The NOC of Ireland supports the postponement of the 2020 Olympic Games – RIA Novosti Sport, 23.03.2020
The Irish NOC supports the idea of transferring the 2020 Olympic Games
The Irish Olympic Federation supports the idea of transferring the 2020 Olympic Games to Tokyo due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Irish CEO said… RIA Novosti Sport, 23.03.2020
2020-03-23T12: 18
2020-03-23T12: 18
2020-03-23T12: 17
Olympic Games
coronaviruses
covid-19 coronavirus
Cancellation of sports tournaments due to coronavirus
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MOSCOW, March 23 – RIA Novosti. The Irish Olympic Federation supports the move of the 2020 Olympic Games to Tokyo due to the coronavirus pandemic, Irish Olympic Committee CEO Peter Sherrard said. On Sunday, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that the final decision on the 2020 Games will be made within four weeks. On Monday, the Olympic and Paralympic Committees of Canada announced that they would not send athletes to the 2020 Olympics and called for it to be postponed for a year.The Olympic Games in Tokyo, scheduled for this summer, have been called into question due to the worldwide spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. There are currently 1102 confirmed cases of coronavirus infection in Japan, excluding the 712 people who became infected on the Diamond Princess cruise ship. A total of 49 people have died in the country.
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Olympic Games, coronaviruses, covid-19 coronavirus, cancellation of sports tournaments due to coronavirus
MOSCOW, Mar 23 – RIA Novosti. The Irish Olympic Federation supports the postponement of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo due to the coronavirus pandemic, said Irish Olympic Committee CEO Peter Sherrard.
The Tokyo Olympic Games are to be held from July 24 to August 9. On Sunday, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that the final decision on the 2020 Games will be made within four weeks.On Monday, the Olympic and Paralympic Committees of Canada announced that they would not send athletes to the 2020 Olympics and called for it to be postponed for a year.
“For now, we believe the Games are likely to be postponed. We certainly welcome the IOC’s announcement that the safety of athletes will come first and the opening of the possibility of postponing the Games. I believe many are looking forward to will wait for next year, if such a decision is made, “- quotes the words of Sherrard Reuters referring to the Irish TV channel RTE.
The holding of the Olympic Games in Tokyo, scheduled for this summer, was called into question due to the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19 in the world. There are currently 1102 confirmed cases of coronavirus infection in Japan, excluding the 712 people who became infected on the Diamond Princess cruise ship. A total of 49 people have died in the country.
HBO to open Game of Thrones filming locations in Northern Ireland to tourists – Society
LONDON, 26 September./ TASS /. Fans of the series “Game of Thrones” will have a new reason to take a vacation and pack their bags: the American TV channel HBO announced the launch of a large-scale travel project Game of Thrones Legacy (“Game of Thrones: Legacy”). Exhibitions and entertainment dedicated to the large-scale television project will be organized in the castles of Northern Ireland, previously closed to the general public.
“Following ten years of filming Game of Thrones in Northern Ireland, HBO wants to highlight the incredible TV show heritage in the region by turning some of the sets into tourist attractions,” the channel said in a statement on the Northern Ireland Tourism Department’s website.
The exact list of sites and events participating in the project is still unknown, the information is promised to be made public later. In the meantime, the channel promises to organize exhibitions of costumes, weapons and artwork, share details about the filming and organize interactive entertainment in at least three places: in the monastery of the Stark family, Winterfell, at the Night Watch base in the Black Castle and on the coast of King’s Harbor, the largest city of Westeros. – one of the continents of the mythical universal saga.There are also plans to organize thematic excursions to The Linen Mill Studios, where the shooting was also taking place. The launch of the project is tentatively scheduled for 2019.
The press release does not give the names of real castles, but local media clarify that we are talking about Ward Castle on the shores of Strandford Loch. It was there that some of the scenes from the Stark family estate were filmed. The habitat of the “black cloaks” from the Night’s Watch in reality became a quarry in the village of Mageramorn in County Antrim.The filming of the Royal Harbor traditionally took place on the Croatian coast, but for the final, eighth season, the creators erected a giant set in the port of Belfast. And although, according to rumors, they are going to be burned during filming, the mention of this location in the context of Northern Ireland may indicate that at least some of the buildings made in the spirit of the fantasy Middle Ages will survive.
“We look forward to opening the gate and sharing the excitement of these exciting venues with Game of Thrones fans around the world,” said Jeff Peters, vice president of licensing at HBO.“The opportunity to celebrate Northern Ireland’s pivotal role in the life and legacy of TV shows and to share its culture, beauty and warmth was also a major source of inspiration for the project.”
Large-scale TV project based on the bestseller
In early January, HBO officially announced that the eighth season of Game of Thrones will air in 2019. The series is based on the series of novels “A Song of Ice and Fire” by the American writer George Martin. The premiere of the first season of the project, which subsequently gained immense popularity all over the world, took place in April 2011.The series is one of the most expensive in the history of American television.
As British actress Maisie Williams, who played the main character in the series, Arya Stark, clarified in an interview with the Metro newspaper, the first episode of the new season will be released in April 2019.
90,000 Game of Thrones sparks tourism boom in Croatia and Northern Ireland
The worldwide popularity of the series “ Game of Thrones ” has generated new specific offers on the travel market.Tourists are ready to pay extra to follow in the footsteps of their favorite heroes instead of a usual trip.
The American fantasy series Game of Thrones, based on George Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, has encouraged travel companies to create specialized tours of locations related to filming.
In his 1982 novel The Names, writer Don DeLillo remarked: “Tourism is a march of stupidity.” He may be right, but one can understand Game of Thrones fans who dream of seeing the gloomy and windswept Winterfell or the tall Gothic castles of King’s Landing, the capital of Vestoros, in person.
And the travel industry can make good money on these dreams. So, at one time, thanks to the interest in Middle-earth from The Lord of the Rings, New Zealand’s tourism revenue increased from $ 3 billion in 2009 to $ 5.6 billion in 2011. Now, travel companies are starting to sell tours for those who want to follow the routes of their favorite characters from the “Game of Thrones”.
At the end of May, San Francisco-based travel agency Viator launched two new offers for travelers, writes Businessweek. One of them is a three-hour walk through the old town of Dubrovnik (Croatia), which in the “Game of Thrones” is called the Royal Harbor.The second is a walk along the Giants’ Bridge near Belfast (Northern Ireland) and Ballycastle. As stated on the official website of the company, from the trip you can learn everything about Targaryens, Baratheons, Starks and other noble families from an experienced local guide.
The cost of a one-day excursion to Dubrovnik is about $ 72 per person. In Belfast – more than $ 100.
Croatian Dubrovnik’s old town plays the role of King’s Harbor in Game of Thrones
The American HBO channel, which created and showcases Game of Thrones, is opening its own mobile of costumes from the series, weapons and other items, including the Iron Throne.The exhibition will begin its ten-day work in Belfast on June 8, and, according to some estimates, more than 20 thousand people will attend. After that, she will move to Toronto, New York, Sao Paulo and Amsterdam.
What Russian tourists want
If we talk about the books that influenced the travel industry in Russia, it is worth calling “Harry Potter” J.K. Rowling – since the book was translated into Russian, interest in the UK began to grow as to the destination.
Another work that had a significant impact on the Russian tourism business is Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings”.Its popularity has increased the demand for New Zealand among Russians. Dan Brown’s stories – “Angels and Demons” and “The Da Vinci Code” made it possible to sell well specially designed tours of Rome and Paris, repeating the routes of the heroes.
In addition, when Egypt as a tourist destination was just beginning to develop, Agatha Christa’s novel “Death on the Nile” and its adaptation helped to promote cruises on the Nile.
