The oneills.com World 4-Wall Championships are fast approaching and excitement is building. Here’s a ‘by the numbers’ snapshot to tell us more about what promises to be an amazing celebration of our sport.
20
Venues being used to run the event, all in Leinster. The clubs hosting matches are Tinryland, Garryhill and Borris in Carlow; Culohill and Monavea in Laois; Lisdowney, Galmoy, Clogh, Kilfane, Windgap, Callan, Kells and O’Loughlins in Kilkenny; St Joseph’s, Davidstown and Coolgreany in Wexford; Coolboy in Wicklow; Crinkle in Offaly and Ballymore Eustace in Kildare, as well as the National Handball Centre.
1675
Entries in the tournament. This is a record for a standalone 4-Wall handball tournament, with grades ranging from 11&U to Over 75s.
2
World Championships in the same year. Never before has there been a separate World Wallball Championships or two Worlds in the same year, which is a logistical challenge but a fitting way to mark GAA Handball’s centenary.
5
World Open Singles titles won by Paul Brady, namely Croke Park in 2003, Canada in 2006 and 2015 and America in 2009 and 2018. Brady also won a 17&U title at the 1997 World Championships in Winnipeg, Canada and a World Open Doubles title with Michael Finnegan in 2003.
15
All matches will be played on the 2x15, tiebreaker to 11 format, with plate games running on a ‘one game to 21’ basis. The ‘15s’ has proven a very successful format for weekend ranking tournaments in Ireland and on the Race4Eight tour in recent years.
1900
Matches which will take place over the course of the tournament.
100
Years since handball came under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. Handball is enshrined as one of the four fully integrated GAA codes alongside Gaelic football, hurling and rounders. The centenary is a momentous occasion for the sport; one of the initiatives taken to mark the date is the launch of architect and academic Áine Ryan’s fantastic project cataloguing Ireland’s unique old ball alleys.
11
Rounds that Al ‘Blue’ Lewis lasted against Muhammad Ali in Croke Park in 1970. The new state-of-the-art National Handball Centre in Croke Park, which was opened in time for the 1970 World Championships, was Ali’s training base in the lead up to the fight, with a ring erected in the 60x30 court.
450,000
Since the start of 2024, Spórt TG4’s handball viewership has soared to nearly 450,000, encompassing both live streams (202,000) and television views (244,000). In addition to these impressive numbers, clips of the championship and other handball events have achieved between 100,000 to 200,000 views on social media. A social media highlight of the year, the broadcaster stated recently, includes a viral clip of Paul Brady from March, which has amassed 72,000 views on Instagram.
60
Years since the first World Handball Championships in New York in 1964. Joey Maher of Louth, an icon of the game, represented Ireland.
Before he set off, his mother had read in The Irish Press that the handball courts were located on the 26th floor of the New York Athletic Club. As her son jumped in a taxi for the airport, Mrs Maher, imagining a similar outdoor court to the one in Millmount, Drogheda where the great man learned to play, passed on a warning: “Don't fall out of the handball alley, Joey.”
3
Courts in the National Handball Centre which will be utilised. All of the action will be live streamed on the Spórt TG4 YouTube channel from all three courts.
5
Tournaments in succession which Martin Mulkerrins has won in recent months in the United States. Based in Texas, the Galwegian is the number one seed in the Men’s Open Singles at the oneills.com World 4-Wall Championships.
520
Capacity in the all-seater Croke Park showcourt arena, which organisers hope will be crammed with fans for the latter stages of the event.
12
Years since the World Handball Championships (4-wall and Wallball) were last staged as a combined event in Ireland. The Open winners on that occasion were Paul Brady and Aisling Reilly.
64
Days between the closing ceremony in the World Wallball Championships in Limerick and the opening ceremony at the World 4-Wall Championships. Nine weeks’ turnaround time!
20
International players in the Open Singles grades, principally from the USA, Mexico and Canada (not including the Irish-born stars currently residing overseas). They are Danielle Daskalakis, Mikaila Esser, Ashley Ruiz, Suz Entzeroth, Luis Cordova, Daniel Cordova, Leo Canales, Ray Ure, Sam Esser, Ivan Burgos, Braulio Ruiz, Coleman McGrath, Max Langmack, Erik Torres, Jeff Streibig, Loren Collado, Abraham Montijo, John Chapman, Jerome Santerre and Rene Lopez.
17
Days until it all serves off – and we can’t wait!