In Ireland the Gaelic Athletic Associating (GAA) is king. The association consists of Hurling and Football with each of the 32 counties (plus New York and London) having a representative team. Now I could go through intricacies of both games and bore you for an hour, but this is a fight website so instead I’ve picked out some of the best combat moments in the history of the GAA for your viewing pleasure. The videos are below. Enjoy.



Páidí Ó Sé was one of the best and most decorated Gaelic Footballers of all time. But when he played, in the 70’s, the game was a little less… soft, shall we say, than it is today. He was a hard defender who took or gave no quarter. In 1975 when his native Kerry played bitter rivals Cork, Ó Sé got into an altercation with the oppositions Dinny Allen. What resulted was the best one punch knockout in GAA history.

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Next up is the brawl in North Kerry (yes they are all insane in Kerry) Minor Match between Moyvane and Castleisland. All these guys are under 18 but other than that there isn’t much to say apart from watch out for the leg kick and ground and pound near the end.

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Every two years a selection of Ireland’s best Gaelic Footballers takes on a selection of the best Aussie rules players from down under in a hybrid game of the two. What usually occurs is a fascinating game of pros v amateurs and two groups of fellas from different country beating the bejaysus out of each other. This is the Ultimate International Rules Fight Compilation –

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This video contains my county (Limerick) in the green and our nearest rivals Clare. Its basically one of our players unnecessarily taking out the oppositions manager Davy Fitz (my mortal enemy). I will never get tired of watching this –

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Simply put this is one player hitting another one in the stomach with his hurley because he scored a goal. How dare he!!

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Kilkenny and Tipperary are the two most successful hurling teams in the last decade. When they meet it’s usually a bloodbath. In this video you’ll see some hurleys broken across guys bodies, a judo throw, some wrestling, almost a head and arm choke, a bit a stand up and Lar Corbett getting sent off for getting punched in the head.

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Ok so technically this isn’t a fight but you’d have to be devoid of appreciation for skill if you didn’t like this. It’s one of out finest hurlers, Joe Canning, back flick hand-passing a ball to his opponent who subsequently scores a point. If you need to watch it a few times, please do. It’s a most magnificent piece of skill.

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image credit – inpho