3/11/2011
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginia Irish Road Bowling opens its 15th season March 19 at the Irish Spring Festival in Ireland, W.Va., but if you miss opening day, you can still participate in events scheduled at six West Virginia state parks throughout the year.
“You’ll put the cell phone ring tones to silent and put the texts, e-mails and calls on hold. It’s outdoor recreation that’s fun and that anyone can do,” said Ken McClintic, superintendent at Holly River State Park. McClintic says even people who don’t want to “bowl” at first enjoy being spectators and eventually become bowlers themselves. “Some people play golf. Some fish. And for others, Irish Road Bowling is catching on as a way to enjoy the outdoors.” McClintic is a two-time WVIRBA State Champion. The sport and Holly River's event was a feature story in West Virginia Magazine, October 2010 issue.
Scored like golf, a 28-ounce iron and steel "bowl" the size of a tennis ball is hurled down a country road; the fewest shots over a one-to-two mile course wins. This sport has been played in rural Ireland for more than 300 years. A throw can roll 200 - 300 yards.
Travis Craig of Ireland, W.Va., represented the USA in the All Ireland Championships in Aughagower, County Mayo, Ireland in 2008 and in Drogheda, County Louth in 2009. Travis Craig and Travis McClintic of Lewisburg represented the USA in the World Championships of Bowling in Dinkelland, the Netherlands, in 2010. In this ancient sport, new to the USA, West Virginia has hosted the national finals twice, in Buckhannon in 2006, and in Ireland in 2009. New York, Boston and West Virginia are centers of Irish road bowling in the USA.
In addition to the Irish Road Bowling competition events, many state parks offer this outdoor sport as a non-competitive activity as part of summer programming.
2011 West Virginia Irish Long Bullets Road Bowling Tour schedule
The 2011 WVIRBA Tour schedule includes 19 team tournaments at 15 events from March to November. Teams can be 2, 3 or 4 persons. For the first time, in 2011, a new-project singles league is being developed. Anyone interested in the singles league may contact the association for details.
The WVIRBA is a statewide organization. The WV Irish Road Bowling Tour is open to the public. To be part of the competitive, yet easy-to-learn traditional Irish sport, contact David Powell 202-387-1680. See
www.wvirishroadbowling.com for 2011 event details and images of past events. The WVIRB Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to teach Irish Road Bowling as a sport for health and fitness, to celebrate the beautiful country roads of West Virginia, and to represent West Virginia in national and international sports competition.
Irish Road Bowling 2011 Schedule
March 19 & 20 Irish Spring Festival, Ireland, WV
April 16 & 17
Pipestem Resort State Park, Pipestem, WV
May 21 & 22 Strawberry Festival, Buckhannon, WV
June 18
Blackwater Falls State Park, Davis, WV
June 19
Canaan Valley State Park, Davis, WV
July 16 & 17 WV IRBA Men's and Women's Singles Finals, Ireland, WV
July 23
Cacapon Resort State Park, Berkeley Springs, WV
August 20 Doddridge County Fair, West Union, WV
August 27 Barbour County Fair, Philippi, WV
September 10 Pack Horse Ford Cannonball Run, Shepherdstown, WV
September 10 Wheeling Hibernians, Wheeling, WV
October 1 Mountain State Forest Festival, Elkins, WV
October 2 Preston County Buckwheat Festival, Kingwood, WV
October 8
Holly River State Park Fall Challenge, Hacker Valley, WV
November 6
Stonewall Resort Yankee Skedaddle, Stonewall Resort State Park, Roanoke, WV
See
www.wvirishroadbowling.com for more information.
Contact Information
Ken McClintic, Holly River State Park or David Powell, Irish Road Bowling Association
304 493-6353 or 304-387-1680
hollyriversp@wv.gov