Ireland - Ireland 2014 - page 10

Sports in the Republic are dominated by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA; see
sidebar on here ) , which operates Irish hurling and football (not to be confused with soccer)
leagues. Each county fields a team of skilled amateur players—talented athletes who are
regular guys during the workweek (teachers, truck drivers, bakers, and the like). Horse ra-
cing and dog racing appeal to those who enjoy a wager. And it's hard to go 25 miles in Ire-
land without running into a golf course (there are more than 300 on the island). Pro golfer
Padraig Harrington made waves by winning three majors in a little over a year (2007 and
2008).