Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/319116 
Year of Publication: 
2025
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 17847
Publisher: 
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
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.
Subjects: 
sports commitments
depression
WHO-5 wellbeing index
Gaelic games
amateur sports
PSM
JEL: 
I10
I31
Z20
Z28
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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