UL hosts European Dodgeball Championships for first time

RTÉ News​

2 days ago

"Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive and Dodge!" The five D's of Dodgeball were once made famous by the character of Patches O'Houlohan (played by actor Rip Thorn) in the 2004 hit comedy movie Dodgeball.
Twenty-one years later, and the first ever major dodgeball tournament has arrived in Ireland this weekend, and far from comedy, this is serious athletic competition.
The tenth edition of the European Dodgeball Championships will see 76 teams, from 21 countries, battle it out across men's, women's and mixed events to claim European honours.
The action is taking place at the University of Limerick and is a milestone for the sport, as it will be the first European Dodgeball Championships to include both Cloth and Foam ball formats.
Tamas Heitzmann, from the Irish Dodgeball Association, explained why Limerick won the bid.
"Irish Dodgeball has long aspired to bring an international tournament to Ireland, and that dream has become a reality. We are thrilled to welcome our dodgeball friends from across Europe and show them what Irish Dodgeball can achieve.
"The University of Limerick is an ideal venue for an international sports tournament, with world-class facilities, a vibrant campus, and a strong tradition of hosting major sporting events," he said.
Over 600 athletes, along with their trainers, coaches and fans, will compete across the three divisions this weekend.
Ireland player, Katie Kinkaid, says the ethos of inclusivity and community is something that draws a lot of people to the sport.
"I started playing just after COVID when everything started opening back up again. My partner's been playing for about 12 years, so he got me into it. I came along to a few sessions in Phoenix Park in Dublin and I just loved it."
"The team, the camaraderie and getting to play with the boys in mixed games is really interesting. There are not very many sports you get to play alongside the boys. It's very satisfying to hit them with the ball.
"We've got people who play for our Dublin team from all over the world, and we all come together and go on trips. We go to tournaments together, we go on holidays. That's really great," she added.
Ms Kinkaid says dodgeball is one of the fastest growing sports in the world, and it's starting to make in-roads in Ireland.
"In Ireland, it's kind of up and coming. We've got about 5 or 6 clubs across the country, but in places like England, they've got junior teams, youth teams, university teams coming all the way through. So, it's really, really taking off there."
Great fun, serious athleticism and intense competition on show at the European Dodgeball Championships at the University of Limerick today! pic.twitter.com/WpSjdQoIRa
— Joe Caulfield (@Joe_Caulfield_) June 26, 2025
Ireland is not one of the favourites to win, with previous European men's team winners Northern Ireland and Austria tipped to go deep in the tournament. However, Ireland men's captain John Taaffe is hopeful of their chances.
"Look, we're optimistic. I think we're kind of dark horse in the foam division. A lot of people have put us down beforehand, but we're quietly confident in what we can do."
An avid athlete all his life, Mr Taaffe explains how he found dodgeball, and what attracted him to the sport.
"I'm a bit sports mad and had tried everything like soccer, rugby and GAA growing up. I decided to give something different, a try and after one dodgeball session, I was hooked. That was eight years ago now and I think I've barely missed a week since. It's been fantastic," he said.
"I started playing locally in Dublin, and within a couple of years, I was playing for Ireland, going to Madison Square Garden, going to Canada, it brings you all over the world," he added.
And, what are Irish captain's thoughts on the movie that brought the sport to the attention of millions around the globe?
"It draws people to the sport. Some people try and make a joke out of it, but at the end of the day, it's a fun movie and it's a fun sport. Anything that paints us in a fun light is what we aim for, and it's something we're actually proud of."