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American Football Ireland

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American Football Ireland
SportAmerican football
Founded1984; 41 years ago (1984) in Dublin, Ireland
First season1986; 39 years ago (1986)
No. of teams16
Country
Most recent
champion(s)		University College Dublin (2024)
Most titlesDublin Rebels (10 titles)
Official websitewww.americanfootball.ie

American Football Ireland (AFI) is the national governing body for American football on the island of Ireland, with teams across both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Founded in 1984, it is entirely run by volunteers and played by amateurs. The senior men's full-contact league currently consists of a two-division promotion and relegation system with 8 teams in each division, with the Premier Division playoff champions being awarded the Shamrock Bowl.[1] AFI also organizes developmental youth leagues, co-ed and women's flag football competitions,[2] as well as overseeing the Irish Wolfhounds national team which competes in IFAF competitions.[3]

History

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Background

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American football was first played on the island of Ireland in the 1940s by United States servicemen stationed in Northern Ireland during World War II,[4] with the first game being played in Belfast at Ravenhill Stadium in 1942 between teams representing service and artillery units of the United States Army before an audience of more than 8000, mostly consisting of U.S. servicemen.[5][6][7] The first unofficial match of American football featuring local players occurred in Banbridge in 1983, and the first flag football match featuring local teams took place two years later in Omagh between teams called the Tyrone Tornadoes and Coleraine Chieftains.[8]

1980s and 1990s

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American Football Ireland (AFI) traces its origins to the 1980s. The league was founded in 1986 as the Irish American Football League (IAFL), initially featuring a five team arrangement including the Dublin Celts, Coleraine Chieftains, Belfast Blitzers, Carrickfergus Cougars and Craigavon Cowboys.[9] The first Shamrock Bowl was played in 1986 between the Craigavon Cowboys and the Dublin Celts, with the Cowboys winning 6–2 in Dublin.[10] As of early 1987 the league featured 8 teams,[11] and the IAFL briefly explored a combined league with teams in England, Scotland, and Wales in 1989 before returning to an Ireland-only league for 1991 as the American Football Association of Ireland.[9] The Celts dominated the Irish scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s, winning four national titles, but enthusiasm for the league waned as the decade went on.[9]

2000s

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After a decline in the 1990s leading to a one-year hiatus in 2000, organised American football in Ireland was revived in 2001 with a new four-team league called the Irish American Football Association (IAFA),[9] featuring the Carrickfergus Knights, Dublin Dragons, Dublin Rebels, and UL Vikings.[10] The league's reinstatement of the Shamrock Bowl resulted in the Dublin Rebels winning Shamrock Bowl XV, defeating the Knights 28–7 in Carrickfergus, followed by the Knights winning Shamrock Bowl XVI over the UL Vikings. That season also saw international success when the Dublin Rebels won the Charleroi Trophy in Belgium, defeating teams from France and Belgium.[10] The 2003 season marked further expansion with the addition of the Cork Admirals, Belfast Bulls, and the returning Craigavon Cowboys, bringing the total to seven teams. The league was divided into two divisions to accommodate newer teams. The Rebels defended their Charleroi Trophy title and went on to win Shamrock Bowl XVII, beating the Knights 24–12 at Suttonians RFC in Dublin. The game drew some media attention, with highlights broadcast on TV3 and Sky Sports.[10] The 2004 and 2005 seasons featured six teams and over 300 registered players, and the 2006 season added the DCU Saints and Dublin Marshals, raising the total to eight teams. The league expanded again in 2007, including the addition of the Belfast Trojans.[10] In 2008, the league added a developmental league called DV8, featuring 8-on-8 play instead of the more conventional 11-a-side teams seen in the upper tiers.[10] The latter half of the decade was marked by two dynasties, with the Dublin Rebels winning four consecutive Shamrock Bowls between 2003 and 2006, followed by a three-peat by the UL Vikings between 2007 and 2009.

2010s

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Belfast Trojans players hoisting the Shamrock Bowl in 2012, marking their first of five titles in the 2010s.

The 2010s saw the addition of several new teams, the development of youth programs, and the continued success of the IAFL's top clubs. The Dublin Rebels continued their dominance in the league, winning back-to-back Shamrock Bowls over the UL Vikings in 2010 and 2011. The 2011 season also saw the introduction of a new championship format with a playoff system that included both semi-finals and finals.[12] The 2012 season continued the trend of league expansion, and at that time the top league was divided into North and South conferences, with the top team in each conference facing the winner of a wildcard game between those finishing 2nd and 3rd to advance to the Shamrock Bowl.[13] In 2014, the DV8 competition was replaced by a full-team Division 2.[10] The Belfast Trojans began a period of dominance in the league, winning four consecutive Shamrock Bowls from 2012-2015.[14][15] The back half of the 2010s saw additional league expansion, such as the addition of a full-contact youth league in 2014,[16] and at its' peak in this era the league consisted of 23 teams over three tiers of senior play.[9] On the senior level, the league was marked by back-to-back Shamrock Bowl wins by the Rebels in 2016 and 2017,[17] followed by the Cork Admirals winning their first title in 2018[18] and the Trojans securing a fifth title in 2019.[19]

2020s

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UCD players celebrating their second Shamrock Bowl victory in 2024.

The 2020 and 2021 seasons were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, halting domestic play and delaying league activities.[20] The league was renamed American Football Ireland (AFI) in 2020,[9] and in 2022, the league resumed play, returning to a three-tier format consisting of a Premier Division, Division 1, and Division 2.[21] Between 2022 and 2024, University College Dublin (UCD) and Dublin Rebels met in three consecutive Shamrock Bowls, with UCD winning in 2022 and 2024,[22][23] and the Rebels winning in 2023.[24]

Beginning in 2024, the senior league structure was reformed and simplified to consist of two tiers, an 8-team Premier Division to compete for the Shamrock Bowl, and an 8 team Division 1 where the winners receive the "Harp Bowl" and promotion to the Premier Division. The inaugural Harp Bowl I was subsequently won by the Craigavon Cowboys.[25] AFI also launched its first women's flag football league in 2024, initially consisting of three multi-team gamedays to determine seeding followed by a playoff where the winner is awarded the Claddagh Bowl.[26]

In 2025, the NFL announced that Dublin's Croke Park would host its first regular-season game, featuring the Pittsburgh Steelers as the designated home team[27] and the Minnesota Vikings as their opponent.[28] Ireland has also seen multiple players, such as Daniel Whelan,[29] Charlie Smyth and Jude McAtamney, break through into the NFL.[30]

Structure

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AFI oversee the administration of 3 codes:

  • Senior American Football (18 year olds and above)
  • Youth American Football (15-18 year olds)
  • Flag Football (non-contact, 16 year olds and above)

Within the Senior American Football code, there are 2 separate divisions:

  • AFI Premier Division – 8 teams, the top four of which qualify to compete for the Shamrock Bowl in a two-round playoff. The team with the worst record is relegated to Division 1.[31]
  • AFI Division 1 – top four teams qualify for the playoffs, of which the finalists compete for the Harp Bowl. Harp Bowl winners are promoted to the Premier Division. The Division 1 title was previously awarded as the IAFL Division 1 Bowl, but was reintroduced as the Harp Bowl using roman numeral nomenclature beginning with Harp Bowl I in 2024. [32] The number of teams in Division 1 is flexible under the current format, with 9 teams competing in 2024[31] and 8 competing in 2025.

The Youth American Football section consists of a single division of teams playing contact football that is altered into smaller scrimmages of between 7 and 9 players per side and additional rule adjustments intended to maximize player safety and development.[33]

The Flag Football section consists of a two-tier co-ed league system that incorporates promotion and relegation[34][35] and a single-tier women's league.

  • AFI Flag Premier Division – top teams qualify for the playoffs to compete for the Emerald Bowl, with bottom teams relegated to AFI Flag Division 1.[34] [35]
  • AFI Flag Division 1 – top six teams qualify for the playoffs of which the finalists compete for the Glas Bowl and promotion to AFI Flag Premier Division.[34][35]
  • AFI Women's Premier League - Consisting of three game days to determine seeding, followed by a final tournament to compete for the Claddagh Bowl. [36][37]

Rules and parameters

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AFI adheres to the rules and interpretations of gridiron football laid out by the International Federation of American Football, which are designed to retain affinity with NCAA rules.[38] AFI fields sometimes deviate from the standard 100-yard gridiron football pitch to accommodate for the typical use of Gaelic football and rugby football pitches, with fields spanning 90 yards from one goal line to the other on smaller rugby pitches[39] and with one set of field goal uprights stationed further behind the endzone on oversized GAA pitches.[40]

In keeping with IFAF rules, AFI games adhere to a mercy rule in cases where one team holds a 34-point lead or higher. In such cases, games proceed with a running clock, in which the clock continues to operate on most plays until the other team reduces the deficit below that threshold or the game ends.[38]

Teams

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As of 2025, the senior league consists of two tiers of football, with the first tier being the Premier Division, also known as the SBC (Shamrock Bowl Conference). The second tier is the Division 1 competition, previously known as IAFL-1.[41] The league previously had a third tier, which began as an 8-on-8 league called DV8 league from 2008 until 2012,[42] followed by an 11-on-11 IAFL-2 beginning in 2014, which was merged into Division 1 to create the current two-tier format beginning with the 2024 season.[43][31]

As of 2025, the top four teams in the Premier Division at the end of the regular season advance to compete in a two-round playoff. The winners of the Premier Division playoffs are awarded the Shamrock Bowl, and the winners of Division 1 are awarded the Harp Bowl. Harp Bowl-winning teams are granted promotion to the Premier Division, while the bottom team in the Premier Division is relegated to Division 1.[41]

Premier Division (SBC)

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Team City Stadium / Home Field Founded Head coach
   
   
Belfast Knights		 Belfast, County Antrim Malone Rugby Club 1993 Adam Devenney
   
   
Belfast Trojans		 Belfast, County Antrim Deramore Park 2006 James McKelvey
   
   
Cork Admirals		 Cork, County Cork Musgrave Park 2002 Alan Lomasney
   
   
Craigavon Cowboys		 Craigavon, County Armagh Peoples Park 1986 Greg Loughran
   
   
Dublin Rebels		 Killiney, County Dublin De La Salle Palmerstown, Kilternan 1995 Ross McCooey
   
   
South Dublin Panthers		 Palmerstown, County Dublin Kings Hospital, Palmerstown 2014 Ben Arulogun
   
   
UCD		 Belfield, County Dublin UCD Sports Ground 2009 Dave Murphy
   
   
UL Vikings		 Limerick, County Limerick UL Sports Ground 1999 Glenn Carr

Division 1

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Team City Stadium / Home Field Founded Head coach
   
   
Causeway Giants		 Armoy, County Antrim Limepark Playing Fields 2018
   
   
County Antrim Stags		 Belfast, County Antrim Newforge Sports Complex 2024
   
   
Cill Dara Crusaders		 Newbridge, County Kildare Newbridge College 2018
   
   
Northwest Vipers		 Donegal, County Donegal Vale Centre 2014
   
   
Louth Mavericks		 Dundalk, County Louth Dundalk Rugby Club 2012 Ty Henry
   
   
Westmeath Minotaurs		 Mullingar, County Westmeath Mullingar Rugby Club 2011
   
   
West Dublin Rhinos		 Dublin, County Dublin Castleknock College 2008 Chris Cullen
   
   
Wexford Eagles		 Wexford, County Wexford Garden City Pitch 2015

Championships

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Shamrock Bowl Championships

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Appearances Team[note 1] Winners Runner-Up Season(s)[note 2]
16 Dublin Rebels 10 6 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023, 2024
10 Carrickfergus Knights 3 7 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2017
8 UL Vikings 3 5 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
7 Dublin Celts 4 3 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993
6 Belfast Trojans 5 1 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019
4 Dublin Tornadoes 3 1 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996
4 Craigavon Cowboys 3 1 1986, 1987, 1990, 1992
3 University College Dublin 2 1 2022, 2023, 2024
3 Antrim Bulldogs 0 3 1989, 1991, 1992
2 Cork Admirals 1 1 2007, 2018
2 Dublin Tigers 1 1 1998, 1999
2 Trinity College 0 2 2014, 2015
1 Dublin Lightning 1 0 1996
1 Belfast Blitzers 0 1 1988
1 Dublin Bulls 0 1 1997
1 Belfast Bulls 0 1 2005
1 South Dublin Panthers 0 1 2019

[44][45]

IAFL1 Bowl / Harp Bowl Championships

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Appearances Team[note 1] Winners Runner-Up Season(s)[note 2]
4 Craigavon Cowboys 2 2 2017, 2018, 2019, 2024
3 Cork Admirals 1 2 2014, 2015, 2016
2 UL Vikings 1 1 2022, 2023
2 Westmeath Minotaurs 1 1 2019, 2022
2 Louth Mavericks 1 1 2017, 2023
2 West Dublin Rhinos 1 1 2018, 2024
1 University College Dublin 1 0 2014
1 Waterford Wolves 1 0 2015
1 Belfast Trojans 2nds 0 1 2016

[46][47][48][49]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b Bold indicate currently active team
  2. ^ a b Bold years indicate winning seasons.

References

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  1. ^ "2025 AFI Season Preview". Gaelic Gridiron. 19 February 2025. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  2. ^ "About Us / Mission Statement". American Football Ireland. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  3. ^ "American Football Ireland – Member Federation". International Federation of American Football. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  4. ^ "Pre-1984 American Football Ireland". Eirball.ie. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  5. ^ "European Theater of Operations Football Championship Northern Ireland Autumn 1942". Eirball.ie. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  6. ^ McQuaid, Michael (26 December 2023). "American football came to Northern Ireland for first time when soldiers played in Belfast during Second World War". Irish Star. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
  7. ^ "American football in Ulster during the Second World War". WartimeNI. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
  8. ^ "All American Football Games 1983". Eirball.ie. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  9. ^ a b c d e f "AFI Ireland". Eirball.ie. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g "Journey to Thirty – The Story of American Football Ireland". AmericanFootball.ie. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  11. ^ "American Football and the Dublin Celts". RTÉ Archives. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  12. ^ "Shamrock Bowl XXV – Game Details & Preview". American Football Ireland. 24 July 2011. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  13. ^ "2012 IAFL Schedule Published – New Format Announced". American Football Ireland. 9 January 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  14. ^ "Belfast Trojans win championship Shamrock Bowl for the first time". BBC News. 17 July 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  15. ^ "IAFL History". AmericanFootball.ie. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  16. ^ "IAFA Meetings – Youth Kitted Football to start. Application dates for 2014 season set". American Football Ireland. 12 August 2013. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  17. ^ "Dublin Rebels win Shamrock Bowl XXXI". American Football Ireland. 13 August 2017. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  18. ^ "Ireland: Cork Admirals historic in 1st ever Shamrock Bowl triumph". American Football International. 29 August 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  19. ^ Gray, Andy (6 August 2019). "'Pure adrenaline' - Belfast Trojans win Shamrock Bowl". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  20. ^ "AFI 2020 Season Update". AmericanFootball.ie. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  21. ^ "Preview: AFI Gameweek 1". American Football Ireland. 11 March 2022. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  22. ^ "Shamrock Bowl XXXIV Recap". AmericanFootball.ie. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  23. ^ "UCD becomes two-time American football champions with Shamrock Bowl XXXVI victory". UCD News. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  24. ^ "Ty Henry leads Dublin Rebels to Shamrock Bowl victory in 'the best game I have seen in Europe'". Irish Independent. 14 August 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  25. ^ "2025 AFI Season Preview". Gaelic Gridiron. 19 February 2025. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  26. ^ "Announcement: 2024 AFI Women's Flag Football League". AmericanFootball.ie. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  27. ^ "Historic First Regular Season NFL Game in Ireland to be played in Dublin in 2025". NFL Operations. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  28. ^ Collins, Ben (13 May 2025). "Vikings to play in Dublin and London in 2025". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  29. ^ "Dan Whelan to become first Irishman in 41 years to play in NFL play-offs as Green Bay win". BBC Sport. 8 January 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  30. ^ Halliday, Gillian (7 February 2025). "How American football is scoring touchdowns in Northern Ireland: 'We saw it on TV and gave it a go'". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  31. ^ a b c Coyle, Dylan (28 February 2024). "Donegal Derry Vipers and American Football Ireland returns!". Derry Journal. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
  32. ^ "2025 AFI Season Preview". Gaelic Gridiron. 19 February 2025. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  33. ^ "Youth Football". American Football Ireland. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
  34. ^ a b c "Irish Flag Football". Eirball.ie. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
  35. ^ a b c "Flag Football". American Football Ireland. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
  36. ^ "AFI Launches Women's Flag Football League". AmericanFootball.ie. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  37. ^ "Flag football thriving as excitement builds for Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans". ITV News. 6 February 2025. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
  38. ^ a b "IFAF Football Rules and Interpretations – 2023 Edition" (PDF). International Federation of American Football (via IAFOA). Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  39. ^ "Field Marking (Rugby)". American Football Ireland. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  40. ^ "Field Marking (GAA)". American Football Ireland. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  41. ^ a b English, Jimmy (19 February 2025). "2025 AFI Season Preview". Gaelic Gridiron. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  42. ^ "IAFL-1 Schedule & Standings". American Football Ireland. 16 May 2013. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  43. ^ English, Jimmy (16 February 2024). "American Football Ireland 2024 Season Preview". Gaelic Gridiron.
  44. ^ "Shamrock Bowl – Irish American Football". LuckyShow.org. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
  45. ^ "American Football Ireland Shamrock Bowls 1986–Present". Eirball.ie. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
  46. ^ "American Football Ireland 1 Bowls 2014–Present". Eirball.ie. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
  47. ^ "Irish American Football". Eirball.ie. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
  48. ^ English, Jimmy (28 July 2024). "Cowboys & UCD Claim National Championship Titles". Gaelic Gridiron. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
  49. ^ English, Jimmy (16 February 2024). "American Football Ireland 2024 Season Preview". Gaelic Gridiron. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
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