FAQ - Games from Ireland

Which games are Irish or have an Irish connection?

Well, we've looked into this and we think that there are a few games that qualify as games from Ireland:

Rings
Irish Skittles (played with 5 pins)
Croquet is, of course, supposed to have come from a game called Crookey in Northern Ireland
Quoits - the Northern Irish play a particular version of the proper clay pit game
Darts - the Irish have their own Darts board

Fichneal or Fidchell was an Irish board game of equal sides played in the early second millenium

Brandubb is a board game of the Tafl variety (unequal sides) that was played in Medieval times

Hurling
Gaelic Football
Handball. While these days handball is played internationally it grew from a variety of different indigenous handball games from a number of countries, Ireland being one of them. It still has its own rule set played only in Ireland or with GAA clubs in other countries.
Rounders. The American games Baseball and Softball are both descendants of a game played by Irish immigrants. Today in Ireland it's modern form is called rounders and it's a very popular activity.
Road bowling is an unusual and exciting version of bowls that it particular to Ireland. It is played with a steal shot, which is tossed under arm by the player down a twisty road. The player who gets to the finish line with the least shots wins. The whole course is called a score. It only really survives in Cork and Armagh, but there are pockets in other countries.

Let us know if you think there's something missing from this list.

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