Australian rules football in Ireland

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Australian rules football in Ireland
Pack mark by Irish player.jpg
Irish player takes a strong pack mark against South Africa in a 2008 International Cup match
CountryIreland
Governing bodyARFLI
National team(s)Ireland
First played1999, Dublin & Belfast
Registered players~200
Clubs9

Australian rules football in Ireland began in 1999 when clubs were simultaneously formed in Dublin and Belfast, however awareness of the sport dates back to the first tours by Australian teams in late 1967 and the country subsequently became a source of players for professional leagues in Australia.

While coexisting with and relying heavily on players from Gaelic games, the sport has grown and Ireland has become one of the most decorated nations in Australian rules in both men's and women's competition.[citation needed]

History[]

One could argue that the Irish have been playing Australian rules since 1887. Primarily Irish historians analysing accounts of the traditional Irish football caid and Gaelic Athletic Association codified rules against the Melbourne Football Club rules of 1959 and Victorian Rules of 1866 and 1877 and those of other codes appear to strongly indicate that Gaelic football originated as a hybrid of Australian Football and Association Football. Like Australian Football, this was in an effort to differentiate from rugby[1] and was primarily based on the Victorian Rules of 1866 and 1877.[2] For example early codified Gaelic called for Australian rules style behind posts (not present in caid and later removed) with 5 point goals scoring (later changed to 3) and 1 point "behind"s all borrowed from Australian Rules, and Rule 27 in reference to kicking styles, Rule 15 relating to foul play and rules dictating playing equipment appear to be directly borrowed from the Victorian Rules. Early Victorian Rules was played with also a round ball until the introduction of the Sherrin in the 1880s. Other than the directly copied rules, analysts argue that so many of the rules are so similar to the Victorian Rules that the GAA must have obtained a deep knowledge of these laws. In any case the Irish game has been gradually evolving closer the Australian game since and as recently as 2017 with the GAA's introduced "the mark" from Australian Football, one of the game's other distinctive to encourage more spectacular aerial contests.[3]

It was this similarity that eventually raised the awareness in Ireland of the Australian sport.[4] Certainly this awareness has grown substantially since the first International rules football tests took place in late 1967, however Aussie Rules was not officially played in Ireland until clubs were simultaneously formed in Dublin and Belfast in 1999.[citation needed]

Australian Football World Tour[]

Main article: Australian Football World Tour

In 1967, Harry Beitzel drew inspiration from watching the 1966 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final on television and formed an Australian side, nicknamed "The Galahs", to play the game against an Irish side. The next year he organised the Australian Football World Tour, a six-match series with games played against Irish teams in Ireland, the United Kingdom and United States of America. What followed was the beginning of regular interaction between the two codes which was to become the hybrid code of International rules football played in both countries and facilitating the cross code competition.[citation needed]

Irish experiment[]

Main article: Irish experiment (Australian rules football)

Ron Barassi, drawing comparisons between Australian rules football and Gaelic football was of the opinion that Gaelic footballers could provide a previously untapped pool of potential Australian Rules players.[5] As a result, wealthy Victorian clubs were scouting Ireland for new talent. In 1982, Barassi (then the Melbourne VFL club coach) and his recruiting team including Melbourne's Barry Richardson travelled to Ireland, looking for young, tall, and talented players.[citation needed] Over the following years, a number of Irish athletes made the journey to Australia to play professionally in Australia. Players were found not only from Gaelic football codes, but other sports including hurling and rugby. Some, including Jim Stynes, Tadgh Kennelly and Martin Clarke, achieved a level of fame in Ireland either going on to careers in Australia or returning home to achieve success in their sports at home and along with the International Rules Series, increase the profile and awareness of the Australian game.[citation needed]

Formation of the ARFLI and national team[]

Two clubs, in Dublin and Belfast, recruited and trained through the winter of 1999 and played a number of British Aussie rules clubs in challenge matches in early spring 2000. The Australian Rules Football League of Ireland (ARFLI) was formed in October 2000 after the first ever Irish Grand Final was contested between them. The following year, players from the clubs were drawn to form the first national team.[citation needed]

Growth and expansion[]

In the 2010s, the women's game grew rapidly and the first national team was established and players began to make their way to women's leagues in Australia.

By 2014, the league had grown to more than 200 players and expanded to six men's clubs and three women's clubs.

National teams[]

Ireland in 2008, the team won the Australian Football International Cup in 2002 and 2011.
Ireland's women's team playing in the women's division in 2011

An Irish National Aussie rules team, drawn from all ARFLI affiliated clubs headed to London between 6–15 October to take part in the Atlantic Alliance Cup 2001 – a five nations International competition with United States, Canada, Great Britain and Denmark providing the opposition. A final panel of 24 players, whittled down from 60 over a three-month training period made the trip. Ireland, playing their first ever competitive International matches, won all their games in the round robin series and went on to record a win against Denmark (pre-tournament favourites) in the Grand Final. This was a huge achievement for such a young league against teams from leagues that had been established for ten years plus.[original research?] Darren Fitzpatrick of Kilkenny, who previously played Aussie Rules at a professional level with the Western Bulldogs in Australia, coached the team.[citation needed]

In August 2002, the National team attended the Australian Football International Cup (an Amateur World Cup for nations outside of Australia). The team went into the competition as third seeds behind Papua New Guinea and New Zealand. The competition was a success for Ireland as they beat Canada, Samoa, USA, South Africa and New Zealand in the group stage and went on to beat PNG in a televised final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The team which was again coached by Darren Fitzpatrick, and was captained by Michael Johnston.[citation needed]

In 2005, the "Green Machine" again attended the Australian Football International Cup. With injuries and late withdrawals, the team managed a fourth place behind New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and USA.[citation needed]

Jim Stynes' brother David coached the 2014 national side hoping to defend the title[6] however the side failed to defeat Papua New Guinea in the final.

The men's side was considered favourites going into the 2017 international cup,[7] thought they finished in 3rd place.[citation needed]

Governing body and participation[]

The governing body is the Australian Rules Football League of Ireland (ARFLI).

As of 2014, there were more than 200 senior players and in 6 men's clubs and 3 women's clubs.[citation needed]

Media coverage[]

The sport, and International Rules has been covered in the media for many years, though it was only in 2010 that there has been regular AFL coverage on television through TG4. The and also in the media, including the International Rules Series. In 2021 the AFLW began showing on TG4.[8]

Current issues[]

The sport in Ireland faces constant struggle, due to the massive popularity of the indigenous and similar sport of Gaelic football which discourages professionalism.[original research?]

A controversial International Rules series in 2005 may have irreparably damaged[original research?] the reputation of the code in Ireland,[original research?] however the continued export of Gaelic football converts to Aussie Rules ensures that the sport continues to have a small following in Ireland.[original research?]

Proximity to Great Britain and mainland Europe, where there are fairly strong Aussie Rules leagues gives teams from Ireland the opportunity to regularly participate in international competition and remain competitive through access to Gaelic football players.[original research?]

Notable players[]

See also: List_of_Football_Code_Converts § Gaelic_football_to_Australian_rules_football
See also: Category:Irish players of Australian rules football

Australia has recruited several Irish Gaelic footballers to play Aussie Rules. As Gaelic football is primarily amateur competition and the AFL competition is professional, there is a strong financial lure.[citation needed]

Converts have included Jim Stynes, Sean Wight, Tadhg Kennelly and Setanta Ó hAilpín (hurler).[citation needed]

Leagues[]

See also[]

  • List of Australian rules football leagues outside Australia

References[]

  1. ^ Did Aussie Rules Get There First? from Irish Daily Mail 25 October 2016
  2. ^ Towards a Philosophy for Legislation in Gaelic Games Lennon, Joe. Dublin City University 1993. Pg 633, 638, 649, 658, 759
  3. ^ Gaelic football introduces AFL-style mark By Vince Rugar
  4. ^ "AUSTRALIAN AND GAELIC CODES". The Australasian. Vol. CXXI, no. 4, 048. Victoria, Australia. 31 July 1926. p. 41 (METROPOLITAN EDITION). Retrieved 1 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "Barassi named No. 1". 15 March 2009. Archived from the original on 30 September 2012. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
  6. ^ "David Stynes' Team out to defend AFL International Cup". independent.ie. 7 August 2014.
  7. ^ "Meet Ireland's players in the Aussie Rules World Cup". irishtimes.com. 29 July 2017.
  8. ^ "Irish women in Oz: TG4 to show women's Australian football". farmersjournal.ie. 27 January 2021.

External links[]

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