Handball

About

NUI Galway has had a great last couple of years so there's no better time to join. We aim to promote a friendly environment where people can train and have a laugh! Whether your a beginner or advanced come down to the handball court! Contact Club Captain Ian Mc Loughlin on 0879025803 for more information.

History

Of all the University Colleges in Ireland (indeed the world) Galway undoubtedly has the proudest history. The wall game was played throughout the last few years of the Queen’s College, having secured recognition from the Athletic Union of the college in 1904. In the early of UCG, the sport was still held in high esteem with D.J. O Donoghue as Captain for most of the 1920s. Handball was the first Gaelic sport to emerge in Queens College Galway. Though it had difficulty securing recognition from the college the game was certainly being played in QCG by 1902. The Handball Club’s experience sheds further light on the contempt for Gaelic games in Queens College Galway. In 1904 it was recognised by the Athletic Union – to the disedification of college rugby players, who were ‘heard to using strong words’ about the wall game. As a protest against previous refusals, the handballers withheld their Union subscriptions. Eventually the quarrel was resolved, and the Handball Club survived the final years of ‘QCG’. There was an outdoor handball alley in use on campus, but is unclear whether the college had any part in its creation as such. As the decade drew to a close the club received patronage from President Anderson and Professor Pye, and club presidents included Professors Brereton and Sweetman. Handball was certainly played in the college on a regular basis through the first half of the twentieth century, but it had a much lower profile than other Gaelic games due to the lack of an official inter-varsity competition, and as a singles or doubles game it did not involve many students. A similar situation existed in UCD and UCC also. From the little information available, it is fair to say that UCG was the most advanced University College at the handball game.

Achievements

40x20:: All-Ireland Intervarsity Champions: 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 9184, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1999, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1998, 2008 Intervarsity 'B' Team Champions: 1995, 2000, 2002 Men’s 'A' Singles: 1979 (Mike Shiel), 1981-83 (Ger Coughlan), 1984-86 (John Duggan) Ladies 'A' Singles: 1994-95 (Yvonne Gacquin) Mens 'B' Singles: 1995 (Liam Reidy) U.S. Collegiate 'A' Singles: 2001 (Oliver Conway) U.S. Collegiate 'B' Singles: 2003 (David Tormey) U.S. Collegiate 'C' Singles: 2001 (Morris Martin) U.S. Collegiate Ladies 'A' Singles: 2008 (Caitriona Casey) U.S. Collegiate 'A' Doubles: 2008 (Caitriona Casey and Marianna Rushe) 60x30: All-Ireland Intervarsity Champions: 1964, 1971, 1972, 1973 Mens 'C' Singles: 2002 (John Nolan), 2008 (Nevan McCartin) Men's 'B' Singles: 2008 (John Kennedy) Men's 'A' Singles 2008 (Rikki O Gara)

Intervarsities

Yearly Calendar Mid October - All Ireland 60x30 Teams and Singles Championships End November - All Ireland 40x20 Teams Championship Early Feb - All Ireland Singles 40x20 Championships, Kingscourt, Co. Cavan Mid Feb - International Collegiates - USA