For more information on this topic see Senior Hardball Singles or Senior Softball Singles. For more information on handball see handball or senior softball singles. For more information on handball see handball or senior hardball singles.

Gaelic handball (Irish: liathróid láimhe; also known as handball, Irish handball, court handball, alley handball or wall handball) is a sport similar to racquetball and squash and it is one of the four Gaelic games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association. Irish (ga ''Gaeilge'' is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish. Sport is an Activity that is governed by a set of rules or Customs and often engaged in competitively Racquetball is a Racquet Sport played with a hollow Rubber Ball in an indoor or outdoor court Squash is a racquet sport that was formerly called squash racquets, a reference to the "squashable" soft ball used in the game (compared with the Gaelic games are the traditional sports played in Ireland. The two main Gaelic games are Gaelic football and Hurling, both of which are organised by the The Gaelic Athletic Association ( GAA) ( Irish: Cumann Lúthchleas Gael /'kʊmˠən̪ˠ 'l̪ˠuh The game may be played with two, three, or four players. The important difference between it and racquetball and squash is that the players hit the ball with a gloved hand instead of a racquet. A glove ( Middle English from Old English glof) is a type of Garment (and more specifically a Fashion A racquet (or racket) is a sports implement consisting of a handled frame with an open hoop across which a network of cord is stretched tightly Either the left and right hand can be used, depending on where the ball is hit. This major difference is what makes handball a much more complex and difficult game. American handball is essentially identical to Irish handball, except for certain minor rule differences. American (or court) handball, usually referred to simply as Handball, is a Sport in which players hit a small rubber ball against one or more

Rules

A typical Handball court

Handball is played in a court, or "alley", the most common form of which measures 12. 2 m by 6. 1 m (40 feet by 20 feet) with a front wall 6. A wall is a usually solid structure that defines and sometimes protects an area 1 m (20 ft) high, off which the ball must be struck. In Ireland, there is a version of the game which uses a larger court, measuring 18. 3 m by 9. 15 m (60 feet by 30 feet).

The objective of a game is to score a set total of points before your opponent does. A goal or objective consists of a projected state of affairs which a Person or a System plans or intends to achieve or bring about — a personal or Points are only scored by the person serving the ball. In other words, if a player wins a rally but did not serve at the start of that rally they only win the right to serve, and thus the chance to score after a subsequent rally. The serving player has two opportunities to hit the ball, from the "service area" (between the two parallel lines), off the "front wall" and across the "service line" (which is located exactly half-way down the court from the front wall).

Players take turns at hitting the ball off the "front wall" before the ball bounces twice following their opponent's previous shot. Most handball games take place in a four-walled court but there are also three-walled and one-wall versions of the game.

History

Handball-like games have originated in several places at different times. Hieroglyphs in the temple of Osiris in Egypt portray priests taking part in a game very similar to handball. Egyptian hieroglyphs (ˈhaɪərəʊɡlɪf from Greek grc-Grek ἱερογλύφος " sacred carving " also hieroglyphic = grc-Grek Osiris ( Greek language, also Usiris; the Egyptian language name is variously transliterated Asar, Aser, Ausar, Ausir This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. A priest or priestess is a person having the authority or power to administer religious rites in particular rites of sacrifice to and propitiation of a deity or deities Mesoamerican civilizations in South and Central America had a form of handball-like game, which was a large part of pre-Columbian culture. Mesoamerica or Meso-America (Mesoamérica is a Region extending approximately from central Mexico to Honduras and Nicaragua, defined South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a The Mesoamerican ballgame was a Sport with ritual associations played for over 3000 years by the Pre-Columbian peoples of Mesoamerica. The pre-Columbian era incorporates all period subdivisions in the history and prehistory of the Americas before the appearance of significant European influences

The modern game of handball originated in Ireland and Scotland. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. The earliest written record of a handball game is in the town statutes of Galway, which in 1527 forbade the playing of ball games against the walls of the town. A statute is a formal written enactment of a Legislative authority that governs a Country, State, City, or County. Galway (Gaillimh is the only city in the province of Connacht in Ireland. On the west coast of Ireland, Galway had many trading links with Spain, especially the Basque regions, where the similar game of Pelota is played. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. The Basque Country ( Basque Euskadi, Spanish País Vasco) is an autonomous community in northern Spain. It is highly likely that one game is derived from or influenced by the other.

Irish immigrants brought the game to many countries in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. It is still played in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Wales and England. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland

Handball today

In Ireland, handball is organised by the Irish Handball Council under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The Gaelic Athletic Association ( GAA) ( Irish: Cumann Lúthchleas Gael /'kʊmˠən̪ˠ 'l̪ˠuh Its headquarters are just beside the Croke Park stadium. Croke Park (Páirc an Chrócaigh in Dublin, Ireland is the largest sports Stadium in Ireland (fifth largest in Europe) and the principal stadium

Handball is now a very competitive game in the countries in which it is played. A world championship takes place every three years with representatives of all ages, both male and female, taking part. "The Championship" redirects here For the English football competition see Football League Championship. The top player in the 40*20 game today is Paul Brady from Mullahoran, Co. Cavan, Ireland. He recently retained his World singles title.

Eoin Kennedy of the St. Brigids Club in Co. Dublin is the current top player in the 60*30 court. He has won the past four All-Ireland Championships in the code and on September 1, 2007 was the victor over Micheal 'Ducksy' Walsh in the All-Ireland final.

Micheal 'Ducksy' Walsh is also a legendary player. He currently has the world record for All Ireland Titles. He plays for Talbots Inch (60x30). Today, he designs and fits kitchens, and is regarded by many as Ireland's top player of recent times, ahead of Paul Brady, Tony Healy & Eoin Kennedy. On the American stage, Joey Moore of the University of Notre Dame is the consensus #1 player. He defeated Stephen Dye of Georgetown University in the US amateur handball championships held in Wichita, Kansas.

Attempts are also being made to use the one-wall version of the game as a unifying bridge between handball and those sports to which it bears similarities such as Pelota, Fist Ball, Eton Fives and jai alai, one of those attempts being played by many international federations is the International fronton. Eton Fives, one derivative of the British game of Fives, is a hand-ball game similar to Rugby Fives, played as doubles in a three-sided court Jai alai (ˈhaɪəlaɪ in English and jaɪɑlaɪ or xaɪɑlaɪ in Basque The International fronton is an indirect style Ball game created for to come together some varieties (such as American handball, Basque pelota

Famous players from the past include Peader McGee, Joey Maher, Jim Doyle, and Michael O' Sullivan.

See also

• Irish Collegiate Handball Association

Other modalities

• American handball
• Basque Pelota
• International fronton
• Valencian frontó

External links

• HandballCity.com
• Colorado Handball Association in USA
• www.handball.ie
• Irish Handball Results
• www.gaa.ie
• United States Handball Association
• Collegiate Handball in Ireland
• World Pro Handballl
• Handball Social Network

Video

• Various videos