Referee Courses Details

Grab Your Whistle is our Referee Education Programme. Through the Grab your Whistle courses we aim to increase the number of new referees, and in particularly female referees, who officiate at our games. Participants must be 17 years of age or over. There is also a Go Games Referee Course available for participants from 15 years but this will only allow to referee up to under 12 non-competitive small sided games.

Our Referee Education Programme currently consists of 5 courses:

Go-Games – Basic Refereeing – Fee €100

During this course participants will:

  • Be introduced to the basic rules of Ladies Gaelic Football

  • Discuss the roles and responsibilities of referees

  • Develop the fundamental skills of refereeing to enable to referee in a fun, safe environment

Duration: Course is maximum 3 hours in duration which can be held during day or over an evening. TY/AS Level Grab Your Whistle is also included at this level.

Youth – Introduction to Refereeing at Youth Level – Fee €200

During this course participants will:

  • Be introduced to the rules of Ladies Gaelic Football for Under 13-Under 16

  • Discuss the roles and responsibilities of referees

  • Develop the fundamental skills of refereeing through simulated tasks

Duration: Course is maximum 7 hours in duration theory and practical. Participants must complete the FULL course to get certification.

Adult – Introduction to Refereeing at Adult Level Online – Fee €200

During this course participants will:

  • Be introduced to the rules of Ladies Gaelic Football for juvenile and adult football

  • Discuss the roles and responsibilities of referees

  • Develop the fundamental skills of refereeing through simulated tasks

  • Receive information on physical fitness and nutritional requirements for officiating Ladies Gaelic Football games

  • Log in online and complete 5 Online modules

Duration: Course is one full day with maximum 7 hours in duration, completion of 5 online modules and officiating at specific county blitz day. Participants must complete the FULL course to get certification.

Adult – Refereeing at Adult Level – Fee €200

During this course participants will:

  • Be introduced to the rules of Ladies Gaelic Football for juvenile and adult football

  • Discuss the roles and responsibilities of referees

  • Develop the fundamental skills of refereeing through simulated tasks

  • Receive information on physical fitness and nutritional requirements for officiating Ladies Gaelic Football games

  • To recruit and train new Ladies Football referees with a specific emphasis on females

On completion of the course the referee will be qualified to referee up to County U14 Level and all underage clubs depending on the age of the referee.

Duration:

Course is two full day with maximum 14 hours in duration, and officiating at specific county blitz day. Participants must complete the FULL course to get certification.

  • 14 hour course plus blitz day.
  • Course consists of:
    • Two 6 hours contact days
    • one 2 hour after organised county/club blitz
    • 3 weeks max length of time between day 1 and day 2
    • 4 weeks max between Day 2 and Blitz containing Day 3

Annual Refresher Course for participants who have completed GYW Level 1 course/Referees who have refereed Gaelic Football for a min of 5 years – Fee €100

This is a refresher course on the rules of Ladies Gaelic Football. This course should be organised annually by every county to ensure all referees are fully aware of the rules of the game. All participants must have completed the LGFA Grab your Whistle Level 1 course or have refereed Gaelic Football for a minimum of 5 years.

Duration: 3 Hours

A minimum number of 12 are required for all course to be viable. 

Provincial Referee Course

This course is organised once a year for referees on our Provincial Panel. The content varies every course and it is aimed to ensure consistency in provincial refereeing and that Provincial Referees are continually developing their skills. Referees will receive a written and fitness assessment.

National Referee Course

This course is organised twice a year for referees on our National Panel. The content varies every course and it is aimed to ensure consistency in national refereeing and that National Referees are continually developing their skills.

Referee Safeguarding Update

From the 19th January Safeguarding has now been included in the following LGFA Referee Courses:

Youth Referee Course, Level 1, Level 2 and for Level 3 and Level 4 referees will complete at Level 2.

This now covers referees from a Safeguarding requirement, note this only applies to referees and does not apply to coaches etc .

LGFA will not be including in Grab your Whistle Go Games Course. There is no Safeguarding element for this at their age.

When “Grab your Whistle Go Game referees” move up to the next level, they are then given the Safeguarding module.

It is really a club/county decision if they wish for a 17-year-old who was trained last year, for example, to either attend the referee refresher training for the Safeguarding module or they attend the full 3hr workshop.

Note : They cannot avail of the Online SG Refresher as condition with this is that one must have done the face to face three-hour SG course.

If you would like to organise a Referee course please contact:

(01) 8363156 or email: developmentsupport@lgfa.ie

A minimum number of 12 are required for the course to be viable.