From smaller scale sports played in rural areas to country-wide games much like the ones we see today, these forgotten activities once played an important role in local culture and community life.
These sports may have faded from memory for most, but luckily their legacy lives on in many of the sports we see played today across the island of Ireland, acting as a testimony to the strength of our heritage and history.
Here are 7 largely forgotten sports of Northern Ireland you may not have heard of.

1. Road bowling (Bullets)
‘Road bowling’ or ‘throwing bullets’ was a traditional sport played mostly in rural areas of the country, specifically in counties Armagh and Tyrone. It is believed to originate in the 17th century in County Armagh, where Irish soldiers would play it to pass the time, occasionally using cannonballs instead of iron balls. The aim of the game was to throw an iron ball or ‘bullet’ along a predetermined course of country roads and whoever could finish the course in the least amount of throws was crowned the winner. The sport provided entertainment for all the locals, with those who weren’t participating lining the roads and, in some cases, betting on who they thought would win. Although not completely forgotten, seeing as ‘road bowling’ is still played in very small sections of the country, for the majority of people in Northern Ireland, this sport has been sadly left in the past. Photo: Pixabay

2. Camán
Camán was the trailblazer for modern day hurling, having been played on the island of Ireland many years before it became the structured game it is today. The ancient game was very popular across Northern Ireland during the 17th and 18th centuries, particularly in rural parts of the country. Its popularity grew rapidly during the 19th century when the GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) took the idea and created a much more structured version of it, nowadays recognised as hurling. Although facts and figures surrounding the origin of the sport are unclear, it is believed that it likely predates recorded history. References to early forms of Camán appear in Irish mythology, particularly in The Cattle Raid of Cooley, which is estimated to be from around the 1st century. In these stories, the legendary hero Cú Chulainn is described playing a stick-and-ball game, which is thought to be Camán or a very similar variation of it. Photo: Pexels

3. Shinty
Shinty, a stick-and-ball game very similar to Camán and modern-day hurling, was once played in Northern Ireland. Although they sound the same in theory, the difference between Shinty and Camán were different in play. Whereas Shinty is played with two teams on a larger field, and players can hit the ball both on the ground and in the air, Camán was more informal, with fewer standardised rules, and eventually evolved into modern hurling under the GAA. Brought over by Scottish immigrants, blending Irish and Scottish sporting traditions, it was played outdoors and consisted of two opposing teams attempting to hit a small ball through their opponents’ goal using sticks. The game was part of community life in Northern Ireland and was often played during seasonal gatherings, bringing villages together for spirited competitions and entertainment. Over time this sport has eventually lost prominence as modern Gaelic games have become dominant throughout the country. Despite its decline in Ireland, the shared heritage of Shinty and Camán is celebrated through occasional shinty-hurling matches, where teams compete in a hybrid version of the two sports. Photo: Pexels

4. Long bullets (rural bowling variant)
Similar to the previous sport on this list, ‘long bullets’ involved rolling a metal ball or heavy stone along long stretches of country roads. The difference with this version was that it was purposely played on uneven terrain. The skills needed to play this sport accurately were arguably more difficult to master than those needed for plain old ‘road bowling’. This variation required a deep understanding of the uneven landscape, as well as the usual strength it takes to roll the ball any distance to begin with. This version of the sport faded as even tarmac roads and modern transportation were introduced, and, in time, reduced the accessibility of these old routes. Photo: Pixabay