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.
5. Handball
The Irish version of this sport, sometimes known as ‘wallball’, was once an extremely popular game in Northern Ireland. The sport was simple in theory, but often quite difficult in practice, due to involving hitting a small ball against a wall using only one hand. It was especially popular amongst working-class communities, where players typically played against gable walls, barns and alleyways. The sport was enjoyed in many parts of Europe during the nineteenth century, however there are many accounts of ‘wallball’ recorded by writers of the Eighteenth Century who indicate that one-wall handball was being played in Ireland from at least 1700 A.D. The game is still played occasionally in places such as Belfast and County Tyrone, but even these places have seen the popularity of the sport dwindle in modern times. Photo: Pixabay
6. Fairground weight throwing
Fairground weight throwing was a common sport played during local fairs and gatherings and was known to be the ultimate test of skill and strength. Some contenders played in order to gain local fame, but most, however, played in the hope of winning a prize. The sport consisted of throwing an iron weight or heavy object like a stone, as far as possible. It is believed that weight throwing can be traced all the way back to 2000 BC in Ancient Ireland due to an old tale that suggests the origins of the sport come from a legendary Celtic warrior named Cuchulainn who hurled a chariot wheel a great distance by gaining momentum from swinging it around his head. Modern day variants of this game live on such as discus, but the casual community side of the game has withered away. Photo: Pixabay
7. Celtic wrestling (collar-and-elbow wrestling)
Similar to ‘Cornish Wrassling’, which was popular in places like Cornwall and Brittany, Celtic wrestling or collar-and-elbow wrestling was an adaptation of this with rural Northern Irish communities utilising the sport during local gatherings. Celtic wrestling consisted of participants showcasing their strength, balance and skill during a series of grappling matches. The sport dates back to ancient times with the first mention of it appearing in the ancient book of Leinster. The book described Celtic wrestling being included in the Tailteann Games which date back to 1829 BC. This sport also became popular in some regions overseas, such as Australia and America, which saw a lot of Irish immigration. Grappling matches such as these are a lot less popular today and are not a rural community activity like they had been many years ago. Photo: Wikimedia commons website