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Lads there's a handball survey going on at present, I'd appreciate it if you could click the releveant option in the above box.

There are efforts in place at the minute to increase the profile and it would be beneficial to get an idea of the level of interest/knowledge out there

Played the game competitively from U14 to adult

I have played a little but not in this country.  My university in Texas were big into it and I played it there

played it during my time in St Pats Cavan...No Competitions,just recreationally at Lunch and break times when we couldnt find a football.

Id love to know the rules and from what I can see Handball could play a bigger part as a sport in the future and rounders actually as well.

Took it up when i was in college. Play competitively now. Best sport I've ever played.

It seems there are a lot of folks on here who have played handball or have a basic knowledge of the sport.

So what was it that stopped everyone keeping the game on?

I come from east Mayo, where handball was the dominant sport when I was growing up. Every town and major crossroads had at least a three-wall alley and it was the favourite gathering place for boys and girls on Sunday afternoons. The vast majority of us played the game for recreation and there was little or no an organised structure or games of a competitive nature.
I moved to Dublin in the late 60s and more or less gravitated to Croke Park and the famous old stone alley. I played with the Naomh Padraig handball club for many years and I really enjoyed them all. I managed to win a couple of Dublin Intermediates in the mid 80s and played on the Senior League side for a good few seasons as well but was never motivated enough to take the game too seriously.
I would still, at 57, be playing away quite happily but about a decade ago I began to be troubled with arthritis and had to lay off playing.
I really loved the game and would recommend it to any one both as a means of staying fit and for the craic I always enjoyed as part of the Dublin handball scene.

played it in school where I was rubbish at it.
There were no handball alleys in the locality I lived in - not that I know of anyhow
so I didnt play it any further.
There is an alley at my local club and indeed one of Irelands top handballers is from the club

St Brigid's is it?

Kennedy is one of the best in the world, and the best Irish 60x30 player at the minute...

Quote from: Handball Ace on January 22, 2007, 01:06:08 PM
St Brigid's is it?
Kennedy is one of the best in the world, and the best Irish 60x30 player at the minute...

Yep - he's been very successful this past couple of years alright.

Quoteplayed it in school where I was rubbish at it.
There were no handball alleys in the locality I lived in - not that I know of anyhow
so I didnt play it any further.

Not surprised to hear that you were crap at it Lynchboy....I suppose you were to yellow... to scared that hard ball would hurt your hand ;)

Quote from: Maximus Marillius on January 22, 2007, 01:17:39 PM

Quoteplayed it in school where I was rubbish at it.
There were no handball alleys in the locality I lived in - not that I know of anyhow
so I didnt play it any further.

Not surprised to hear that you were crap at it Lynchboy....I suppose you were to yellow... to scared that hard ball would hurt your hand ;)

probably !

Would you ever go to watch him playing in one of the big matches in Croker or Kingscourt?

Him against Brady is one of the best matches there is, because Kennedy is a tactical genius, amazing defence while brady is just an all out attacking gunslinger - an immovable object meeting an irresistable force if ever there was one.

Kennedy used to get the upperhand but Brady has dragged the game to a new level in the last three years.

Quote from: Handball Ace on January 22, 2007, 01:36:25 PM
Would you ever go to watch him playing in one of the big matches in Croker or Kingscourt?

Him against Brady is one of the best matches there is, because Kennedy is a tactical genius, amazing defence while brady is just an all out attacking gunslinger - an immovable object meeting an irresistable force if ever there was one.

Kennedy used to get the upperhand but Brady has dragged the game to a new level in the last three years.

if time were my own, and I had enough notification about this - then yes I would.

right now the publicity is not there.

Never played and never had the opportunity to. I'd be very supportive of moves to promote the game. Handball alleys are multi purpose for GAA clubs as lads can use them to improve their catching for football and their stickwork for hurling. We must look into putting one up.

You're right, the publicity isn't there but there is a new full time Promotions Offcier starting work in April which should help.

No offence at all Seanie, but 95% of GAA supporters pay lip service to handball, everyone says they are supportive but when it comes to the crunch, how many clubs really promote the game?

Lynchbhoy, how about 10-11 February in Kingscourt? The biggest handball tournament of all time. The top ten in the world will be there, and in the quarter finals you should get to see Eoin Kennedy take on Californian Emmett Peixoto in what could be the match of the tournament.

That game will be round 2.30 on Saturday 10 Feb.

What do you reckon? Go once and I promise you'll be hooked. This event will have official programmes, big screen, the works...

Quote from: Handball Ace on January 22, 2007, 02:43:33 PM
You're right, the publicity isn't there but there is a new full time Promotions Offcier starting work in April which should help.

No offence at all Seanie, but 95% of GAA supporters pay lip service to handball, everyone says they are supportive but when it comes to the crunch, how many clubs really promote the game?

Lynchbhoy, how about 10-11 February in Kingscourt? The biggest handball tournament of all time. The top ten in the world will be there, and in the quarter finals you should get to see Eoin Kennedy take on Californian Emmett Peixoto in what could be the match of the tournament.

That game will be round 2.30 on Saturday 10 Feb.

What do you reckon? Go once and I promise you'll be hooked. This event will have official programmes, big screen, the works...

Have to say that from a sporting perspective, this sounds good - it certainly needs to be publicised more though

the best players in the world are playing off in Kingscourt (apt choice for the name alone) but this is the first I have heard of it...

I coul dbe on holidays, but if not, you never know.
(but I havent the time to get hooked on it one way or another)

check out cavan.handball.gaa.ie

QuoteNo offence at all Seanie, but 95% of GAA supporters pay lip service to handball, everyone says they are supportive but when it comes to the crunch, how many clubs really promote the game?

Why not put them to the test by coming up with a way of promoting the games through clubs and schools. We don't promote it cos we've never had it but we never had hurling until 10 years ago and now we're the tops at underage and are fielding at adult level too.

Handball has been neglected by its top officials for so long. This tournament in kingscourt is the most innovative thing to happen to the sport in years. It has been in several national and local papers over the last couple of weeks. Keep an eye out in the next week or so too. There'll be a lot more coverage.

In my experience it doesn't take much to get hooked on the game snd its a game for life. There are actually over 80 grades at the us nationals!!!! and they're competitive too!!

I appreciate your point Seanie.

You should come to the M Donnelly Ulster Open, it'll be amazing.

Will give you an idea of the potential for the sport. If anyone can't make it, or couldnt be arsed, it will be shown on Setanta and there will be updates on RTE radio