Tullow Bowling Club heading for All-Irelands

Tullow Bowls Club head to All-Irelands By Kieran Murphy Its upwards and onwards for the Tullow Bowling Club as they bring three teams to the Active Retirement All-Ireland finals this week which will take place in the Gleneagles Hotel. The club has enjoyed success in the past and 2024, they were asked to field an extra team.

“The Active Retirements all over Ireland are asked to put in teams. We normally have two but this year we were asked to put in three,” said Jim McCormack who has been a member of the Tullow club since it was founded in 2003.

“We started with a small number and it gradually increased. We have on average 20-30 playing three days a week. Monday, Wednesday and Friday for two hours,” he explained.

The played out of the Father Murphy Hall in the town . The old dance floor can host three games at a time. There are four on each mixed team and the venue is a picture of activity three times a week.

The mats are 45 feet long. The balls are shaped like a discus but are made up so that a player can curve a ball from either right to left or left to right around an obstacle. Bowlers take it in turns and once all the bowls have been played each team gets a point for every bowl landing closer to the jack than their rivals.

“You try to protect the Jack and have it covered. Nudging your opponent’s ball away is allowed,” explained Jim who also pointed out the skill levels are high.

“You have to be dedicated and you have to practice. Like any sport, you have serious players and fun players. The serious players want to compete at the highest level. It is a very skilful game. It is about repetition. Every time you have a shot you should be doing the same thing all the time,” the long-time serving member pointed out.

The Active Retirement movement started in Tullow in 2022. A year later, the bowls were incorporated. From a small group of six or seven, the club has grown and now they around 40 on their books.

The Slaneyside club upped the ante when they organised league games in the South East region. This didn’t suit all the players but everyone was accommodated where social games were actively encouraged.

32 teams will play in Killarney. Tullow have enjoyed success in the past. Two years ago, they won an All-Ireland title but had to settle for a runners-up spot last year.

“It is one of the best clubs in the country. We have big numbers. We play the whole year around and there is a big mix of people in the club,” said Jim who is hoping the club can regain a national title.

Seamie Doyle, who is a noted Carlow GAA referee, loves the bowls.

“We have players coming from Carlow, Ballon, Hacketstown and we have two men who are in their nineties as well. Johnny Byrne and Pat Costello. We encourage everyone. We have a chat, a cup of tea and it really works well,” he says enthusiastically.