Bent Stick/Club Games

Similar to a game depicted in ancient Egyptian cave drawings, dated circa 2000 BCE, hurling is considered to be the oldest Irish game. The first written record of this pre-Christian sport is a mention in the Brehon Laws, compiled during the 5th century. No one knows where the sport originated from and whether or not it was native to Ireland or brought over from one of the many tribes that conquered or settled in the Emerald Isle, but there are two theories that link the ancient Irish to Egypt.

Conjectural rules for a 15th century game played with hockey-like sticks and a ball.

National Geographic explores the histories of the Irish sports of hurley and football.

The medieval game was played with two teams, each trying to maneuver a small ball (sliotar) with their sticks (hurleys) through an opposite goal.

Records show evidence that hurling was a regular pasttime in Ireland for well over 2,000 years.

Bheithir-modified rules, as well as official rules.

A history of the Dutch game of kolf.

Some of the sports, games, music, verse, dancing, toys, and other pastimes of the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings. Despite the full agricultural year that most people faced, there was always time for folk to partake in games, challenges, tests of skill and general larking about.

The first documented game of Colf took place on December 26 in 1297 at Loenen aan de Vecht in northern Holland.