Whist

[Eamonnca1]

Just curious. Anybody here familiar with whist, the card game? My dad still goes to the local whist drive, but he says it's dying out. I wonder how widespread a game it is/was. He's from Fermanagh and it seemed to be popular there, and in North Armagh where I grew up it was popular too. Is it played in many other places around the country?

[Never beat the deeler]

My grandmother used to play about fifteen years ago. Not sure if the game was in a Ballina or Crossmolina. She taught me back then but I don't remember the rules.

Not sure if there is a game around any more though .

Main one around north mayo pubs would be poker - holdem or 5 card classics, but the rural community centers would run 25 drives through the winter. Pretty sure they are dwindling too tho

[Puckoon]

My late grandfather was a regular at the whist drives in Tyrone and even further from home. Going back to late 80s and 90s

[seafoid]

I thought this thread was going to be about asking  Fearon to shut up

[Orior]

I'm a big fan of contract whist. Great craic especially with one card stuck to your forehead

[macdanger2]

My grandmother used to play about fifteen years ago. Not sure if the game was in a Ballina or Crossmolina. She taught me back then but I don't remember the rules.

Not sure if there is a game around any more though .

Main one around north mayo pubs would be poker - holdem or 5 card classics, but the rural community centers would run 25 drives through the winter. Pretty sure they are dwindling too tho

Have never played whist and don't know of anywhere around where it's played.

You can pretty much find a regular game of 25 any night of the week in North mayo. Attendances would vary from 10-12 to ~50 I'd say. The age profile is fairly high though.

[Bord na Mona man]

I thought this thread was going to be about asking  Fearon to shut up

Or about the word that gets shouted in Irish farmhouses when the weather forecast comes onto the wireless.

[Orior]

In South Down and Armagh it is "howl your whist!!!"

[Stall the Bailer]

I would play the odd time, I like the solo version of it, 25/45 a better game again. My dad would be out playing whist at least 2 nights a week. Still big enough in Tyrone.

[Eamonnca1]

Apparently the young ones used to go and play with the adults, but the grown-ups would get impatient and snippy with the young ones and it put them off going back. Hence, it's seen as a game for oul fellas now and will probably go out with this generation if something isn't done to interest the young ones. Bit of a shame IMHO, it's a great game that keeps your mind sharp.

[BennyCake]

In South Down and Armagh it is "howl your whist!!!"

Up here it's "howl your wheesht".

[The Iceman]

I only ever heard of it being played in Mayo - uncle of mine down in Ballina would have went to it weekly I think (I mind 15/20 years ago when we stayed for the summer he'd be away at the Whist)

[Newbridge Exile]

My father is in his 80's and still is out 4 or 5 nights a week at whist,drives (mostly in south Derry area but Antrim town as well I think one night )

[StGallsGAA]

45 is the chess of card games while Whist is more like draughts.       Do students still not play 7 Card Whist with mates to win a fast few quid?   It was the rage for 10 years easily  until the mid 90s anyway.

[Orior]

45 is the chess of card games while Whist is more like draughts.       Do students still not play 7 Card Whist with mates to win a fast few quid?   It was the rage for 10 years easily  until the mid 90s anyway.

Is 7 card whist the same as contract whist?