Northern Ireland is an hour by car from Dublin and one hour by plane from London, which will host the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games. The country is approximately five thousand square miles, roughly the same size as Connecticut. Sport and physical activity have played a prominent role in Northern Ireland's largely rural culture.

Indigenous Irish games, some dating back thousands of years, are still an important part of contemporary Irish culture. Hurling (Irish iomáinaíocht) was the favorite sport of the legendary Iron Age hero Cúchulainn. Played by teams of up to fifteen hurlers with wooden, axe-shaped sticks ("hurls," "hurleys," or camán) and a small hard ball (sliotar), it is one of the world's fastest, most exciting field games. Camogie, the women's version, is also widely played.

Another indigenous game, Gaelic football, is best described as a combination of soccer and rugby. Opposing teams attempt to carry the round ball, which is slightly smaller than a soccer ball, across one another's goals.