A province is a geographic region within

Gaelic games Gaelic games ( ga, Cluichí Gaelacha) are a set of sports played worldwide, though they are particularly popular in Ireland, where they originated. They include Gaelic football, hurling, Gaelic handball and rounders. Football and hurling, the ...

, consisting of several counties of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and originally based on the historic four

provinces of Ireland There have been four Provinces of Ireland: Connacht (Connaught), Leinster, Munster, and Ulster. The Irish language, Irish word for this territorial division, , meaning "fifth part", suggests that there were once five, and at times Kingdom_of_ ...

as they were set in 1610.

Provincial councils

A provincial council is responsible for the organisation of club and inter-county competitions such as the provincial championships, and the promotion of

within its region. This region consists of several

county board A county board is a common form of county legislature, particular of counties in the United States. Related forms of county government include: * Board of Supervisors — a form of county legislature in some U.S. states * County commission, ...

s. Listed below are the five existing provincial councils (four of which are on the island of Ireland). The British GAA is the fifth provincial council. To the right is a map showing the location of the provinces of Ireland, i.e. north, south, east, west. Another map below it indicates Britain in relation to Ireland. MODIS - Great Britain and Ireland - 2012-06-04 during heat wave

MODIS - Great Britain and Ireland - 2012-06-04 during heat wave

* Connacht * Leinster *

Munster Munster ( gle, an Mhumhain or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the south of Ireland. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" ( ga, rí ruirech). Following the ...

* Ulster * Britain The ultimate goal of Gaelic Games Europe (the European county board) is to become a provincial council.

Gaelic games in North America Gaelic games in North America or North America GAA is an unofficial provincial council for the Gaelic Athletic Association and Gaelic games in North America. The board is also responsible for the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gae ...

acts as a provincial council for clubs and the three county teams in North America.

Provincial championships

Championships

Football

* Connacht Senior Football Championship * Leinster Senior Football Championship * Munster Senior Football Championship * Ulster Senior Football Championship * All-Britain Junior Football Championship

Hurling

Connacht Senior Hurling Championship The Connacht Senior Hurling Championship, known simply as the Connacht Championship, was an annual inter-county hurling competition organised by the Connacht Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It was the highest inter-county hurl ...

* Leinster Senior Hurling Championship *

Munster Senior Hurling Championship The Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship, known simply as the Munster Championship, is an annual Inter county, inter-county hurling competition organised by the Munster GAA, Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It is the h ...

* Ulster Senior Hurling Championship A provincial championship is a competition in which counties compete against rival counties from the same province. However, there is variation. For instance, Antrim and Galway have competed in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship despite not being from Leinster. This is due to the strength of their teams with respect to other counties in their province. Teams representing

London GAA The London County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) ( ga, Cumann Lúthchleas Gael, Coiste Londain) or London GAA is one of the county boards outside Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in London. The county board is also r ...

, though based in Britain, have competed in the Connacht Senior Football Championship and Ulster Senior Hurling Championship (e.g. in 2010). Setanta Sports broadcasts live provincial championships matches in Australia. Setanta Sports also provides matches from the provincial championships in Asia.

References

Gaelic games culture Gaelic games terminology {{GAA-stub