Latest News

POOL TIMES - Beginners always welcome!

DUBLIN - MONDAYS & TUESDAYS
Monday 8pm to 9pm
Tallaght Leisure Centre (Location Map)

Tuesday 9pm to 10pm
St. Vincents CBS Glasnevin (Location Map)

Call Ciaran on 086 8111625
e-mail ciaran@underwaterhockey.ie

CORK - WEDNESDAYS
7pm to 8pm
Leisureworld, Bishopstown (Location Map)
Call Dave on 087 7475219
e-mail dave@underwaterhockey.ie

GALWAY
Starting October 2009, Please check back for more info.

Keith McMahon was interviewed by Ray D'Arcy on about the trip to Marseille. Click here to listen.

Kevin Chisholm was interviewed on Highland FM about Underwater Hockey in Ireland and the up-coming World Championships. Click here to listen.

Check out the new Sheffield Message Board, leave your messages for the team.

Underwater Hockey Ireland with the support of The Irish Underwater Council (CFT) and our sponsors, would like to announce the team to travel to represent Ireland at the World Championships in Sheffield from the 12th August to the 26th August.

Forwards: Peter Cunningham, Turlough Remedies, Stephen Barry, Ciarán McMullan, Mick Casey.

Backs: Mick Boland, Kevin Chisholm, Louis Fusco, Keith McMahon, Hugh Nolan, Brian Delaney, Conor Cassidy.

Click on the Events page for the latest information on how the team is doing in Sheffield

Click on the Marseille page for the information on last years European Championships

So What is Underwater Hockey?

Underwater Hockey is a 3 dimensional team sport.
It is played below the surface of the water in a swimming pool by two teams of 10 players, 6 in the water and 4 substitutes.
Each player is wearing basic underwater equipment, i.e. fins, mask, cap with ear protection and snorkel.
The object of the game is to push or pass a weighted puck along the bottom of the pool by using an underwater hockey stick, into the opposing teams goal.

A Sport Less Ordinary...

The duration of the game is 30 minutes divided into two periods of 15 minutes, with a 3 minute break at half time, where the teams change ends. 2 in Water Referees and one out of water Referee control the match. The game first appeared in the late 1950's and was invented by the British Navy to help train their Navy Divers. At present many national and international tournaments are carried out up to World Championships for men-, women-, Masters and youth teams.

Who plays and who is the best?

The World Championships generally has about 40 countries wanting to compete. These are paired down to play in the main tournament of 16 teams. Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, France and Holland are generally considered to be the top teams in the world. New Zealand won the elite Men's and Holland won the elite Women's in the world championships for the first time in 2004. These teams train everyday of the week during the run up to major championships and their countries sports association are willing to support these athletes with significant resources to accomplish their goals.

click to enlarge

How did Underwater Hockey make it to Ireland

Underwater Hockey was first introduced to Ireland in the early Eighty's by Aquatec Sub Aqua Club. The activity soon spread around a number of diving clubs like Viking, Irish, Currah, Ennis, Limerick and the Garda SAC. This unfortunately did not develop into much as a heavy-handed approach was taken to the early game that resulted in to a fair few damaged index fingers! As a result only two teams (Aquatec & Viking) battled it out for a number of years until in 1993 when a team was sent to the European Championship in Sheffield, UK. This turned out to be quiet an experience for the boys as they only scored one goal in the whole tournament and conceded many more. Since this date the two clubs have joined forces and are now known as the Dublin Underwater Hockey Team. Fortunately this experience forced us to change the way the game was played in Ireland and greater success has followed..