For the first time since 2012, the Annual Celtic Challenge Pétanque competition between the Ireland, Scotland and Wales Associations is coming to Bangor, Northern Ireland.
As in 2012, on behalf of the Irish Pétanque Association (IPA), the North Down Pétanque Club, which meets at Pickie Bowling Club in Broadway, Bangor, will host the competition on 29th and 30th April this year. The Club now has 35 members, six of whom will form part of the 30 strong Ireland team on this occasion.
Pétanque, more commonly called ‘boules’, is a ‘World’ game, and is played throughout the British Isles. Many readers will have played it on holiday in France, or elsewhere, and may even have a set of boules at home. It is a sport for all ages and both sexes, it is classless, and can be played wherever a reasonable surface can be found or created.
The concept of the game of Pétanque is simple and similar to bowls, i.e. scoring points by resting your boule closer to the ‘jack’ than your opponent. However, instead of rolling wooden bowls over an immaculately maintained lawn, Pétanque is played on an easily maintained area of fairly level ‘stony’ ground, with metal boules rolled or tossed to the jack.
Celtic Challenge
The Celtic Challenge, encompassing 96 games, was first played in 1990. The venue alternates each year between the 3 countries and in the 22 competitions played to date, Wales have 11 wins, Scotland 6 wins and Ireland 5 wins. Ireland’s performances to date have been commendable, given the relatively small pool of players from which to select teams. There are hundreds of clubs and players in the British Isles, but not so in Ireland. Until a few years ago, the main centres of play were at North Down, Dublin and Cork however, over recent years, the game has gained great popularity and 12 Pétanque clubs are currently affiliated to the IPA, comprising over 300 players. As a consequence, this year’s Irish team is regarded as the strongest for many years and hopes are high for success.
The IPA is the governing body for the sport in Ireland and aims to promote the development of the sport for all people in Ireland – young and old, male and female, able bodied and with a disability, pub players and would-be internationals. Few sports offer such a good opportunity for a wide range of people to play equally against one another.
It is also a very sociable game: even the major competitions have a friendly and encouraging atmosphere. Above all, the IPA wants more people to take up and enjoy the game, however, a lack of knowledge about the game in the wider community, or the fact that organised clubs exist, is problematical. In that regard, should the reader wish to find out more or try the game, the websites of both the IPA ( www.irishpetanque.org ) and North Down Pétanque Club (www.northdownpetanqueclub.org ) will provide plenty of background information.
In addition, the Hon.Sec. of the North Down Club which meets every Tuesday night, can be contacted at email: [email protected] or tele. No 91 815099. Boules can be provided initially. Who knows ? Perhaps you might find yourself representing Ireland in a future Celtic Challenge.
