Hockey Ireland, previously known as the Irish Hockey Association, is the governing body for

field hockey Field hockey is a team sport structured in standard hockey format, in which each team plays with ten outfield players and a goalkeeper. Teams must drive a round hockey ball by hitting it with a hockey stick towards the rival team's shooting ...

in both the

Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 Counties of Ireland, counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern ...

and

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

. It is responsible for organising both the Ireland men's national field hockey team and the Ireland women's national field hockey team, as well as national leagues and cup competitions. Hockey Ireland is mainly funded through grants as well as small contributions from Sport Ireland, Sport Northern Ireland and the Olympic Council of Ireland. In 2013 Hockey Ireland became a

limited company In a limited company, the liability of members or subscribers of the company is limited to what they have invested or guaranteed to the company. Limited companies may be limited by shares or by guarantee. In a company limited by shares, the lia ...

. Approximately 168 clubs and 280 schools are affiliated to Hockey Ireland.

History

The Irish Hockey Union was founded on 6 February

1893 Events January–March * January 2 – Webb C. Ball introduces railroad chronometers, which become the general railroad timepiece standards in North America. * Mark Twain started writing Puddn'head Wilson. * January 6 – Th ...

, following a meeting at the Wicklow Hotel. The men's Irish Senior Cup was first played for in 1893–94, making it the oldest

cup competition in the world. The men's Irish Junior Cup was first played for in 1894–95. On 26 January 1895 the Ireland men's national field hockey team played in the first ever international field hockey match when they defeated

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...

3–0 in

Rhyl Rhyl (; cy, Y Rhyl, ) is a seaside town and community in Denbighshire, Wales. The town lies within the historic boundaries of Flintshire, on the north-east coast of Wales at the mouth of the River Clwyd ( Welsh: ''Afon Clwyd''). To the we ...

. The Irish Ladies Hockey Union was established in

1894 Events January–March * January 4 – A military alliance is established between the French Third Republic and the Russian Empire. * January 7 – William Kennedy Dickson receives a patent for motion picture film in the United S ...

, following a meeting at

Alexandra College Alexandra College ( ir, Coláiste Alexandra) is a fee-charging boarding and day school for girls located in Milltown, Dublin, Ireland. The school operates under a Church of Ireland ethos. History The school was founded in 1866 and takes its ...

. In March 1896 they hosted the first ever women's international field hockey match when the Ireland women's national field hockey team defeated

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

2–0 at Alexandra College. Ireland joined the International Hockey Federation in 1950. The two unions merged in May 2000 to form the Irish Hockey Association. The merger came about after the International Hockey Federation declared in 1998 that each national member must be governed by just one organisation.

National teams

* Ireland men's national field hockey team * Ireland women's national field hockey team

Men's competitions

* Men's Irish Hockey League * Irish Senior Cup * Irish Junior Cup

Women's competitions

* Women's Irish Hockey League * Irish Senior Cup * Irish Junior Cup

Affiliated bodies

* Irish Hockey Umpires Association * Irish Universities Hockey Association * Connacht Hockey * Leinster Hockey Association * Munster Hockey * Ulster Hockey Union

References

External links

* {{Sports governing bodies in Ireland

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

1893 establishments in Ireland

Hockey Hockey is a term used to denote a family of various types of both summer and winter team sports which originated on either an outdoor field, sheet of ice, or dry floor such as in a gymnasium. While these sports vary in specific rules, numbers o ...

Sports organizations established in 1893