GAA Handball are delighted to announce that this year's Wallball Nationals at Breaffy House Arena in Castlebar is set to be the biggest tournament held at the Mayo venue since its first tournament held there in 2009. Having checked through the records it has been confirmed that a record 420 players will descend on the Mayo venue, the largest number recorded at a Wallball Nationals in Breaffy House, with the highlight of the weekend once more being the Saturday night Open Finals which proved a massive success last year with unprecedented spectator numbers being treated to two fantastic games of Handball.
From the early memories back in the days of the Sligo One Wall nationals the tournament moved to the impressive Breaffy House Sports Arena in 2009 to facilitate the rise in popularity. It is now seven years on from the first Nationals in Castlebar and the tournament has grown like no other tournament in Ireland or indeed the World and it now sits alone as the biggest weekend tournament in World Handball. In 2014 an additional two courts were built in St Geralds school in Castlebar to cope for the still increasing demand and in 2016 over 500 games will take place across 26 grades in Breaffy House Sporting Arena and St Geralds School in Castlebar over Friday, Saturday and Sunday with demand being so high this year that games will now start on Friday morning with a packed schedule running right through until Sunday evening to cope with the increase in numbers.
The Mens Open sees one of the most competitive grades in years as a host of top stars of the game look to try and wrestle the crown from Tyrone's Conor McElduff who is going for his third title in a row. Standing in the Tyrone man's way are last year's finalist Galway's Martin Mulkerrins, Limerick's Paudi Quish beaten semi finalist in 2015, 2014 Finalist Tyrone's Darragh Daly and 2012 and 2006 winner Robbie McCarthy alongside Cork's Killian Carroll finalist in 2013 and who is fresh from his US Nationals title win who nobody will fancy playing in the earlier. It all adds up to being one of the most exciting Open grades in years. Similarly the Ladies Open has attracted the interest of some of the top players on the European Tour with Holland's number one and two seed Miranda Scheffer and Harmke Siersma attending and will be looking to take the title back to the Netherlands. The Irish challenge is strong however with three time champion Lorraine Havern leading the way and predicted strong challenges coming from Limerick's Martina McMahon a former Open winner, Ciana Ní Churraoin (Galway) and Maeve McElduff (Tyrone) to name a few.
The overseas interest does not stop at Holland with a travelling party of 23 members travelling from India to take part in the competition for the first time. It is a measure of how popular the One Wall game and the Wallball Nationals have become when international visitors are travelling to compete and GAA Handball are honoured that they have chosen the Irish nationals as their first International Tournament to attend. There is no doubt but the International visitors will enjoy their time at what is not just a fantastic weekend of Handball but also a fantastic social weekend of mixing with fellow handballers.
A total of 26 grades will see action take place from 11&Under Boys and Girls right up to 75 and over in what has become the most eagerly anticipated weekend on the GAA Handball Calendar. Further details will follow throughout the week as the excitement builds to another brilliant Breaffy weekend!!
Work is ongoing on the draws and schedules in what is a massive undertaking and all draws and schedules will be released early next week.