Hockey Ireland is the National Governing Body for the sport of field hockey in Ireland. Governing the 32 counties of Ireland, the Association is responsible for the management and overall development of all areas of the sport.
The Association was formed in 2000, as a result of the merger of the two pre-existing Unions which governed men’s and women’s hockey separately. Both pre-existing Unions’ origins date back to the late 19th Century, when they were formed within a year of each other. At the 2013 AGM a motion was passed to become a Limited Company.
Hockey Ireland has a number of affiliated Branches that govern the sport at regional level. The sport’s approximate 168 clubs and 280 schools are affiliated to Hockey Ireland through its Branch network. The Irish Hockey Umpires Association, which manages the sport’s umpire base, and the Irish Universities Hockey Association, which governs the sport in Ireland’s university system, are also affiliated to Hockey Ireland.
Hockey Ireland is funded through grants from Sport Ireland, Sport Northern Ireland and the Olympic Council of Ireland adding to the membership fees and sponsorship.
Sport Ireland Campus Pitch
Hockey Ireland uses a purpose-built facility at the Sport Ireland Campus in Abbotstown which was built in the wake of the Irish women’s 2018 World Cup silver medal courtesy of the generous support of Sport Ireland and the Irish government.
The new pitch was constructed by Sport Ireland with day-to-day management of the facility the responsibility of the Sport Ireland National Sports Campus operations company.
The Sport Ireland Hockey pitch is a high spec pitch using the Polytan Polygras Toyko GT surface, which is the same surface that was used at the 2020 (now 2021) Tokyo Olympic Games and will be used at the 2022 World Cup.
This hockey pitch facility is now home to the Ireland hockey teams to prepare for international games and events and this elite-level facility is also available to the public to fulfil their own requirements.
Hockey Ireland National Pitch, Sport Ireland Campus, Snugborough Road, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, D15 EPN4
National Stadium at Belfield
Hockey Ireland and its forerunners – the Irish Ladies Hockey Union and the Irish Hockey Union – have enjoyed a strong partnership with UCD for over 25 years.
The sport’s governing body set up its home at Belfield in the early 1990s as part of its centenary celebrations with the construction of the purpose-built National Hockey Stadium on the premises of the south Dublin university.
This development came in time for the hosting of the women’s World Cup in 1994 and the men’s European Championships a year later in 1995.
The Belfield venue also welcomed the 2005 women’s Europeans before setting the stage for the sold-out Olympic qualifiers in 2012 when President Michael D Higgins was on hand to witness the ultimately heart-breaking London bid with Korea cruelly denying the Green Machine a ticket with seven seconds left on the clock.
These are among highlights alongside numerous other World League and Champions Challenge events.
It remains the largest purpose-built hockey stadium in Ireland and one of the go-to venues for Irish Senior Cup, Irish Hockey Trophy, Irish Junior Cup and Irish Hockey Trophy finals weekend.
Since the 90s, Hockey Ireland have been long-time office residents in the nearby Newstead building, providing a close link between the two bodies.
On the playing fields, UCD have been one of the foremost clubs, particularly through the Ad Astra scholarship, aiding the development of young players into elite sport.
Having access to the high performance gym and two strength and conditioning experts who support the Ad Astra Academy, UCD teams and players have access to high level resources which has benefited the national teams.
On the women’s side, the club has been an intrinsic part of the Green Army journey. On their run to World Cup silver in 2018, captain Katie Mullan, Lena Tice and Deirdre Duke were current members of the club while Grace O’Flanagan, Gillian Pinder, Chloe Watkins, Nikki Evans and Anna O’Flanagan were among their alumni.
Mullan, Tice, Duke, Watkins and O’Flanagan went on to represent Ireland at Tokyo Olympic Games alongside UCD players Michelle Carey and Hannah McLoughlin while another Olympian, Sarah McAuley, has since linked up with the university.
On the men’s side, Ireland’s all-time record goalscorer Shane O’Donoghue lined out for the students in a highly successful three-year spell along with Kirk Shimmins. Both went on to play at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Recent graduate Conor Empey is now playing hockey professionally in the Netherlands while latest recruit Kevin O’Dea is one of the sport’s rising stars.
The student club is currently home to eight women’s and three men’s teams competing from the all-Ireland EY Hockey League level through to a variety of levels in the Leinster leagues, providing hockey for all ability and interest levels.
