A project 17 years in the making, identifying, researching and cataloguing Ireland’s historic outdoor handball alleys, has finally come to fruition and was launched online today.
Áine Ryan, a Berlin-based architect and academic with no handball background, became interested in the unique vernacular structures as a child while passing a particularly fine example at Turnpike on the old Dublin to Cork road. In 2007, Áine began to collate the alleys and 17 years on, they are now detailed exhaustively on a cutting-edge interactive map-based website using best-in-class ‘Humap’ software designed by a leading UK company.
In total, there are approximately 650 locations identified and the website features photographs, links to ordnance survey maps and other primary sources as well as information and comments from users.
“I’m very happy because what I have reached now with the map is something that I’ve wanted to do for a number of years but for various reasons it was just too difficult to do,” stated Áine.
“I think also, it’s not really my project any more, it hasn’t been for a very long time. Shortly after I started it, I realised that lots of people are interested in handball alleys and the project then became a platform then for other people to collect information and share it, so it became a collective project.
“I felt like I never really managed to share it and make it accessible in the way that it deserved to be. I started out with a very basic blog template in 2007 and it very quickly didn’t have enough functionality.
“Now, technology has moved on so much that you can use templates like the one I’m using for the new website quite easily now so it’s finally become possible to upload most of the information on to this new website and then also to allow people to do the same thing.
“Anybody can upload information now so I think it’s a proper base for the project going forward.”
The research, led by Áine who was assisted by a group of volunteer enthusiasts and historians, will prove an invaluable resource, stated Head of Handball David Britton.
“In our centenary year in GAA Handball, it is so fitting that this amazing project is today being launched and we’re very thankful to Áine for taking the initiative 17 years ago and lending her time and vast expertise to bring it to this point,” said Britton.
“GAA Handball were delighted to be able to assist in the final stages of the project. History and heritage is so important in our sport and this project recognises both and preserves so much tradition for future generations. I cannot commend Áine highly enough and we are thrilled with the final product.”
Additionally, GAA Handball are calling on the general public to get involved in a ‘Treasure Hunt’ for more alleys. Many of those identified on old maps and in various written and oral sources have yet to be definitively located while others may be overgrown or in states of disrepair and have thus far eluded Áine and her team.
“The beauty of this interactive map is that anyone can contribute so we are calling on the handball community and wider public to get behind this and help fill in some blanks as well as adding more photos, videos and sound files to the existing alleys documented on the map,” said Britton.
To access the site, click here.