Playing senior inter-county Gaelic games: experiences, realities and consequences

Abstract

The mission of the Economic and Social Research Institute is to advance evidencebased policymaking that supports economic sustainability and social progress in Ireland. ESRI researchers apply the highest standards of academic excellence to challenges facing policymakers, focusing on 12 areas of critical importance to 21stcentury Ireland.The Institute was founded in 1960 by a group of senior civil servants led by Dr T.K. Whitaker, who identified the need for independent and in-depth research analysis to provide a robust evidence base for policymaking in Ireland.Since then, the Institute has remained committed to independent research and its work is free of any expressed ideology or political position. The Institute publishes all research reaching the appropriate academic standard, irrespective of its findings or who funds the research.The quality of its research output is guaranteed by a rigorous peer review process. ESRI researchers are experts in their fields and are committed to producing work that meets the highest academic standards and practices.The work of the Institute is disseminated widely in books, journal articles and reports. ESRI publications are available to download, free of charge, from its website. Additionally, ESRI staff communicate research findings at regular conferences and seminars.The ESRI is a company limited by guarantee, answerable to its members and governed by a Council, comprising 14 members who represent a cross-section of ESRI members from academia, civil services, state agencies, businesses and civil society. The Institute receives an annual grant-in-aid from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to support the scientific and public interest elements of the Institute's activities; the grant accounted for an average of 30 per cent of the Institute's income over the lifetime of the last Research Strategy. The remaining funding comes from research programmes supported by government departments and agencies, public bodies and competitive research programmes.Further information is available at www.esri.ie This report has been accepted for publication by the Institute, which does not itself take institutional policy positions. All ESRI Research Series reports are peer reviewed prior to publication. The author(s) are solely responsible for the content and the views expressed.

Gaelic Football Match-Play: Performance Attenuation and Timeline of Recovery

“…Interestingly, players’ pre-competition CK levels were 7.1% higher than pre-match levels for professional rugby league players, 7.8% higher than Australian rules players and 18.8% higher than soccer players [ 38 , 41 , 48 ]. This may be due to residual fatigue and muscle damage from previous training or competition, especially considering this study was conducted during the competitive season where Gaelic football players must balance busy training and match schedules alongside working life, as amateur athletes [ 22 , 35 ]. Elevated CK levels prior to competition have been linked with an increased risk of injury [ 11 , 16 ] and attenuated match performance [ 13 ].…”

“…Different team sports are reported to have unique post-match recovery kinetics due to large variations in competitive demands [ 10 ]. Additionally, the amateur status of Gaelic football provides environmental factors, such as work and study, which are important to consider during post-match recovery [ 22 ]. Consequently, effectively preparing for subsequent training or competition necessitates the monitoring of Gaelic football players during the post-match recovery timeline.…”

Safeguarding amateur athletes: An examination of player welfare among senior inter-county Gaelic players

“…Following the publication of research into the commitments required of male Gaelic players to play senior inter-county, and knock-on effects of inter-county commitment (Kelly et al, 2018), the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and Gaelic Players Association (GPA) established a working group to make an in-depth analysis of the report's findings. One of the decisions taken by the working group was that further research was required to examine a range of issues that emerged from the original study.…”

“…This is particularly the case during the pre-season and off-season. Might the way that the inter-county games are currently being played -the high commitment levels with very little downtime (Kelly et al, 2018) -be contributing to this risky behaviour among players? This is an issue that warrants further attention.…”

“…2 Female players are not covered in this research, or the previous study (Kelly et al, 2018), as they are governed by separate associations: camogie by the Camogie Association of Ireland (CAI) and ladies' Gaelic football by the Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA). The Women's Gaelic Players Association (WGPA) is the player welfare body for female players.…”