Get on board with games night in Scraggs

WITH Dry January in the rearview mirror, many of us will be planning our next trip down the local. You could just sit in the corner and enjoy a pint, or maybe catch a match on the big screen. But at a recent trip to Scraggs Alley in Carlow town, a group of gamers known as Castle Carlow Gaming Guild gathered to socialise and engage their minds.

‘Social’ may be one of the last words that springs to mind when gaming is mentioned; from the Xbox or PS5 to mobile apps, it conjures images of individuals glued to their screens. But the Castle Carlow Gaming Guild takes a considerably more low-tech approach: they meet to play board games, table-top strategy games, even card games. Not a monitor or screen in sight.

The idea, says founder and IT professional Roman Hryniewiecki, was born from a desire to meet new people in Carlow. Roman and his wife Magdelena and daughter Nina, who both share his passion for gaming, moved to the town four years ago. The guild started out as a regular night at their house with a small group of existing friends and colleagues who were already interested in gaming, but he decided to go bigger.

“I thought, surely there are more people here in Carlow playing board games, maybe we need to go public. So I took a walk around Tullow Street, asked some pubs if they were interested in sharing space with us, and Brian, the manager for Scraggs, thought it was a nice idea.” The guild started meeting regularly at the pub in October 2024 and got around ten new members, including gaming enthusiasts from Britain, Poland and Korea.

“People are bringing their friends or colleagues from work or their spouse or partner. It’s just starting,” said Roman, who is equally eager to bring brand new or experienced gamers into the fold.

Beyond classic board games like Monopoly or family-oriented games such as Cluedo, the games night tends to focus on quirkier and more challenging titles – but there is something for everyone.

For example, at the latest gathering, Roman brought along Azul, a tile-laying game where players take turns selecting colourful tiles and placing them on their personal board to create patterns, as well as Things in Rings, a fast-paced party game where players must think quickly to name things that fit within certain categories while dealing with restrictions like time limits.

This reporter joined in the fun and brought along some friends. We were treated to a round of 7 Wonders, a strategy card game where players build an ancient civilisation by choosing cards to develop their city, military, science and ‘ancient wonders’. The idea is to balance managing the resources you need with long-term planning to outscore your opponent.

With a lot of patient explaining and timely help from Roman, I managed to come second. And not before relaxing, enjoying a few pints, having some good conversation and feeling a little accomplished for learning something new.

Roman’s wife Magdelena was also there, leading a round of Things in Rings. She said they started playing board games as a couple and whenever they visited a friend’s house they would bring some games along with them.

“We would spread the disease to other couples,” she added, with a laugh.

“It’s as much about socialising as it is about being competitive. For me, I prefer the kind of games where you have fun, you can chat, debate, have a bit of a squabble!” Those looking for a social yet cerebral way to meet new people shouldn’t be put off if they are new to the world of tabletop gaming: “If a new person joins us, they get a coach, someone who’s a very good player but also enjoys and knows how to explain games,” said Roman.

What happens after, he says, is that people invariably begin to chat about their jobs, their families and life in Carlow. And new friends are made.

The next session of the Castle Carlow Gaming Guild takes place on Thursday 13 February at Scraggs Alley. As it is held in a licensed establishment that serves alcohol, it is strictly over-18s. Follow the guild’s Facebook page for the latest news and event updates.