Jugger
Jugger is like a cross between American Football and Medieval Combat. It is a team Sport where the objective is to get a skull from the middle of the field into a zone at the opposing teams end. There are five players on each team, four of whom are paired off fightning each other with padded weapons such as swords.
When a player is ‘killed’ in these fights he has to kneel down and is out of the game for that particular round. The Fifth person is the Qwick. His job is to get the skull from the middle of the field past the opposing Qwick into a zone at their opponents endzone. He can only advance the skull once the other teams fighters are all dead. The team which scores the most skull touchdowns is the winner.
Below you will find links to Tournaments involving Irish Teams
Jugger Turniere
Photo 81694575 | Jugger © Manololo Justen | Dreamstime.com
Jugger Turniere Season 2019
Jugger Turniere Season 2018
Jugger Turniere Season 2017
Jugger Turniere Season 2016
International Tournament of Spain 2016
Metallsvenskan Jugger Turnering 2016
Jugger Turniere Season 2015
Fencing & Sword-Fighting
Fencing is a renaissance sword-fighting sport. Gladiating is the ancient version revived for TV in Gladiators and Armoured Combat is the medieval version of sword-fighting.
Fencing
Fencing is a renaissance sword-fighting sport. Fencing Ireland organises a number of tournaments per year.
Fencing
Photo Credit: a fencer holding an epee Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.com
Fencing Ireland
FI Medal Winners (Major Tournaments) (Seasons):
FI Rankings Men’s Epee (End-of-Season):
FI Medal Winners Men’s Epee (Seasons):
Medieval Armoured Combat
Armoured Combat is the medieval version of sword-fighting.
Medieval Armoured Combat
Photo Credit: Vitaly Fedotov / Shutterstock (2023) Group of armed medieval warriors with shields, swords, spears in the winter forest Stock Photo ID: 1008419017 [Internet] Available from: https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/group-armed-medieval-warriors-shields-swords-1008419017 [Accessed and Edited by Enda Mulcahy for eirball.games on 1 October 2023]
Medieval Armoured Combat Ireland
MACI Claregalway Castle Group Fights (Internationals)(Years):
Gladiating
Gladiating is a fun version of the ancient Roman military combat as was seen on US and British TV Programs from the 1990s onwards. Various types of combat or adventure-like tasks are engaged in by teams of players.
Gladiating
Photo Credit: Luis Louro / Shutterstock (2023) Ancient warrior or Gladiator posing in the arena [Internet] Available from: https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/ancient-warrior-gladiator-posing-arena-663904279 [Accessed and Edited by Enda Mulcahy for eirball.games on 1 October 2023]
Irish Gladiator Contestants:
Audrey Garland Irish-born Gladiators Contestant 1997
Irish Gladiating Weekend Venues
There are a couple of venues in Ireland where people can engage in Gladiator Weekends:
Adventure Park (Watergrasshill, Co. Cork): https://www.adventurepark.ie/
Team Building Ireland (Kippure, Blessington, Co. Wicklow): https://teambuildingireland.com/corporate
Boxing and Fighting
Variations on Boxing include Olympic / Professional Boxing, Bare-Knuckle Boxing (currently not sanctioned), UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) and Kickboxing
Boxing
Variations on Boxing include Olympic / Professional Boxing, Bare-Knuckle Boxing (currently not sanctioned), UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) and Kickboxing
Irish Athletic Boxing Association
red boxing gloves Photo by Yeremia Ganda on Pexels.com
Irish Athletic Boxing Association
Irish Athletic Boxing Association Irish Olympic Medal Winners 1952-Present
International Boxing
Photo credit: female athlete standing on boxing ring (2021) Photo by Annushka Ahuja on Pexels.com [Internet] Available from: https://www.pexels.com/photo/female-athlete-standing-on-boxing-ring-7991861/ [Accessed and Edited by Enda Mulcahy for eirball.games on 1 October 2023]
Strandja Multi-Nations Sofia Bulgaria (Years):
Ultimate Fighting
Ultimate Fighting is a modern take on Boxing and other fighting games that originated in USA.
UFC (America)
Photo Credit: Photo by Huw Fairclough / Shutterstock (2016) Cage Warriors Wales Newport Leisure Centre, Newport, Gwent, Wales. UK. October-15-2016 Martin Sheridan (Ireland) v Josh Reed (Wales) 135lbs , Reed Punches out towards his opponent. [Internet] Available from: https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/cage-warriors-wales-newport-leisure-centre-500065999 [Accessed and Edited by Enda Mulcahy for eirball.games on 1 October 2023]
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Modified Rules Boxing-Ultimate Fighting
The first Modified Rules Boxing-Ultimate Fighting fight took place between Floyd Mayweather Jr and Conor McGregor, with two events – one Boxing and one Ultimate Fighting taking place in the fight, held on different nights. It follows the Irish tradition of Compromise Rules between Gaelic Athletic Association sports and other sports such as Australian Football, Shinty, Pelota, Baseball & Softball, Lacrosse and Golf.
Modified Rules Boxing-UFC
(Ireland-International)
Boxing-UFC Compromise Rules.
Photo Credit: Ehab Mousa / shutterstock.com (2011) AMMAN, JORDAN – SEPTEMBER 8 : Conor Mcgregor (Right) defeats Aron Jahnsen (Left) by Knockout at 3:29 of Round 1, Cage Warriors Fight Night 2, Fight Card on September 8, 2011 in Amman, Jordan. Stock Photo ID: 85761826 [Internet] Available from: https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/amman-jordan-september-8-conor-mcgregor-85761826 [Accessed and Edited by Enda Mulcahy for eirball.games on 1 October 2023]
Modified Rules Boxing – Floyd Mayweather Jr versus Conor McGregor
Kickboxing
Kickboxing originated in Thailand. Kicks as well as punches are allowed, as are a variety of weapons.
Kickboxing (Thailand)
Photo credit: Photo by tsyhun / shutterstock.com (2023) Kickboxing woman in activewear and red kickboxing gloves on black background performing a martial arts kick. Sport exercise, fitness workout. Stock Photo ID: 1836965116 [Internet] Available from: https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/kickboxing-woman-activewear-red-gloves-on-1836965116 [Accessed and Edited by Enda Mulcahy for eirball.games on 1 October 2023]
Kickboxing Ireland
Galway International Kickboxing Challenge (Years):
Kickboxing Ireland Award Winners (Years):
Wrestling and Sumo
Competitive Wresling dates back to at least the Original Olympic Games in Athens, Ancient Greece. Another Ancient versions of Wrestling is Sumo (Japan). Modern versions include Olympic (Greco-Roman), WWE (American), Lucha Libre (Mexico), and indeed also Mud Wrestling (England) and Jelly Wrestling (Ireland).
Olympic Wrestling (Greco-Roman)
Olympic Wrestling is the version which dates back to Ancient Greece and Rome and the original Olympic Games. It is the version in the Modern Olympics also.
Olympic Wrestling (Greco-Roman)
Photo Credit: Dmitry Niko / shutterstock.com (2016) Wrestling mats during World Wrestling Club Cup, December 1, 2016, Kharkov, Ukraine [Internet] Available from: https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/wrestling-mats-during-world-club-cup-1863703273 [Accessed and Edited by Enda Mulcahy 1 October 2023]
Irish Amateur Wrestling Association Events:
Irish Open (Years):
Dublin Freestyle Open (Years):
WWE Wrestling (USA)
World Wrestling Entertainment is the Modern American made-for-TV version of wrestling.
WWE Wrestling (USA)
Photo Credit: Christian Bertrand / shutterstock.com (2017) BARCELONA – NOV 4: The wrestler Becky Lynch in action at WWE Live at the Palau Sant Jordi on November 4, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain.
WWE World Wrestling Entertainment Irish Wrestlers 2001-Present
Lucha Libre (Mexico)
Mexican version of WWE Wrestling
Lucha Libre (Mexico)
Picture Credit: A selection of colorful “Lucha Libre” Mexican professional wrestling masks, for sale outside of Arena Mexico, Mexico City By bmszealand / www.shutterstock.com
Triplemania (Bouts):
Sumo (Japan)
John Gunning was the first Irishman to compete in the Sumo World Championships for Ireland
Sumo (Japan)
Sumo World Championships.
Photo Credit: Irene M M / shutterstock.com (2017) Tokyo, Japan- September 14, 2017: Sumo tournament Stock Photo ID: 770625103 [Internet] Available from: https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/tokyo-japan-september-14-2017-sumo-770625103 [Accessed and Edited by Enda Mulcahy for 1 October 2023]
Irish International Sumo Wrestlers
John Gunning Irish Sumo Wrestler
Sumo Reference
I have it on the authority of John Gunning that this Reference website is one of the best ever. The German who compiled it went through over 100 years of Japanese Newspapers. It contains the results of every Japanese Sumo bout ever recorded back to early 1900s or before.
Sumo Reference: http://sumodb.sumogames.de/
Mud Wrestling
Professional Mud Wrestling started in Akron, Ohio on 7 January 1938 when Miss Leona Gordon and Miss Mildred Burke competed in the first ever fight. Professional Mud Wrestling, like World Wrestling Entertainment is more for show or spectacle with the contestants not seriously trying to harm, injure or fight each other. [References: 1]1
Mud Wrestling
Photo Contributor: Kimmo Keskinen [Internet] Available from: https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/elephant-257262733 [Accessed 17 August 2023]
Mud Bowl
Mud Bowl
- Life Magazine (1938) January 24, 1938, page 23 [Internet] Available from Google Books at: https://books.google.ie/books?id=yEoEAAAAMBAJ&dq=life+magazine+jan+24+1938&pg=PA23&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=life%20magazine%20jan%2024%201938&f=false [Accessed 17 August 2023] ↩︎
Martial Arts
There are a number of different Martial Arts in Ireland, the most popular of which are Karate, Judo & Taekwondo.
Karate
Karate
Photo Credit: close up shot of a person holding a black belt Photo by Artem Podrez on Pexels.com
International Japan Karate Association Ireland
IJKAI Irish National Championships (Years):
Irish Kenpo Karate Union
IKKU Open (Years):
IKKU Invitational (Years):
I-Karate Global
I-Karate Global World Cup (Editions):
Taekwon-Do
Taekwon-Do
close up shot of a person holding a black belt Photo by Artem Podrez on Pexels.com
Irish Taekwon-Do Association
ITA Irish Cup & National Championships (Years):