GAA Handball games are hosted Nationally by a range of excellent venues across all codes.
Please read below for a closer look at the top four nominations for the Venue of the Year.
Claregalway (Galway)
Handball has been a popular sport in Claregalway since the 1900’s with a 60x30 alley on the banks of the Clare river. The club was officially registered in 1974 with regular games and juvenile coaching. However, the club and the popularity of handball then dwindled for 25 years, right up to 2009, when a group got together to revive the club.
It started with school’s competitions and soon expanded in to full juvenile training. At the time we witnessed the knocking of our outdoor 60x30 alley for flood relief purposes. The club training initially took place in a local 40x20 alley and the club undertook refurbishments such as installing a ceiling and new lights.
Soon after, the club installed two one wall courts in Claregalway community centre. Finally, following a successful grant application on the third time of asking, we undertook the building of a new 40x20 alley and complex in the village of Claregalway. It is located beside the Community Centre and GAA pitch, close to the national and secondary school. On opening in the spring of 2017, it gave the club a home again, with a modern full glass back wall court, kitchen, meeting room, male and female dressing rooms and spectator stand.
The response has been great locally with support both financially and with volunteer hours. All hosted tournaments and competitions are managed by our members who carry on the hospitality of the club by providing refreshments, referees and cleaning. It is now one of the top venues in Galway and proudly recognises the tradition of handball in the locality.
The game of handball has been played in Crinkle for over two hundred years when two three wall alleys were constructed in the old Military Barracks. Its significance as a venue for high profile matches became apparent as far back as 1880 when two champions travelled here for a purse of £10:00, a King’s ransom in those days.
Crinkle (Offaly)
The game of handball continued to be played in the village long after the demise of the Barracks and in 1966 a group of local men decided to form a new club with a view to building a 60x30 court. 18 Years later a 40x20 was added with development continuing ever since.
Since our refurbishments in 2015 Crinkle now has one of the finest complexes in the country and its location has ensured it remains a popular venue. Year on year we host on average ten all Ireland finals and numerous Leinster fixtures. Officials are provided for every game that’s fixed there regardless of grade or competition.
Along with our excellent playing facilities our venue also offers ample car parking, wheelchair accessibility and spacious seated viewing galleries that are fully heated to ensure our patrons comfort. Hospitality is second to none with tea and sandwiches available free of charge for all our welcome visitors.
We are a fully independent Handball Club who rely on the generosity and unswerving support of the local community to generate the necessary funds to maintain and develop our excellent facilities.
Kingscourt (Cavan)
The club was founded in 1910 and has become an epitome of GAA Handball. The current facilities of the Club include;
- 3 40x20 courts with full glass backwalls, extensive galleries and heating
- 60x30 court, again with full glass back wall, large gallery and heating
- Outdoor 1-wall court
- Catering facilities
- Equipment shop
- Gym
- Steam room
- Extensive parking
Kingscourt Handball Club’s facilities are unmatched in Ireland and as a result during 2017 they played hosted the following major events:
- 40x20 All - Ireland Singles Festival weekend
- 40x20 All - Ireland Singles semi-finals
- 40x20 All – Ireland Doubles Festival weekend
- 40x20 All – Ireland Open Doubles semi-finals
- 40x20 ICHA 3rd level championships
- 40x20 All-Ireland Colleges Semi-Finals and Finals
- National Cumann na mBunscoil Day
- Girls team of 10 Interprovincial Competition
- County Championship games – Adults and Juvenile
St Joseph’s (Wexford)
St.Josephs GAA Handball Club is a volunteer led, community located organisation that promotes and develops the National Game of GAA Handball in Wexford town. The Club caters for Juvenile Boys and Girls of all ages, religions and ethnic backgrounds and Adults of similar disposition. The Club is situated in Bishopswater, not far from the centre of Wexford Town.
St.Josephs is in existence since the 1960's with the first 40x20 Handball Court being built in 1984. That Court was recently redeveloped along with two brand new 40x20 Courts and four One Wall Courts into the Complex that's there today. St. Joseph’s have played host to many National fixtures and prestigious events in recent years.
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