Playing an Amateur Sport in a Professional Context: Good for Gaelic Players Mental Health?

Gaelic games are traditional Irish amateur sports, two of which are Gaelic football and hurling. Although the sports are amateur, the advances that have taken place in the games over the past decade have increased the commitments required of players, particularly those playing senior inter-county, the highest level that the games are played. The move towards professional standards in amateur games can potentially negatively impact various aspects of players lives, including their mental health. Using survey data captured from senior inter-county Gaelic footballers and hurlers, this paper contributes to the literature in this area by examining the impact that playing an amateur sport in a professional context can have on players’ mental wellbeing. The paper focusses specifically on identifying the effects that their sports-related commitments, along with their sports environment, can have on their mental health. The methodologies used in the paper account for biases related to non-random selection.