Everything You Need to Know About Irish Volleyball

Around the world, for much of time, volleyball has been overshadowed by sports like soccer, American football, ice hockey, and baseball. But according to many news outlets, it’s becoming more popular than ever before. This spike (pun intended) is likely to do with the increasing high-level play, the dynamism of televised matches, and the growing number of countries participating in the sport.

While volleyball has historically been associated with the United States, Brazil, and Italy, to name a few countries, it has also grown in importance in Ireland.

History of Irish Volleyball

Volleyball’s history in Ireland has been short and mostly unremarkable. Although it was introduced in schools and colleges in the mid-20th century, not many embraced the sport.

As the sport originated in the United States, it naturally embedded itself into American culture. During World War I, American soldiers brought the game overseas to countries like the Philippines and Germany, and it spread to other regions from there. Therefore, an international body needed to formalise governance as it continued to expand.

In Ireland, volleyball remained in the background because of the already deep-rooted presence of other sports. Thus, there wasn’t the infrastructure needed to propel it to a dominant professional sport. No dedicated facilities or specialised coaching programs were developed simply because there wasn’t a demand for them.

Already, volleyball was facing challenges. And this trajectory continued until 1985 when Volleyball Ireland was established. As it was the first formal governing body for the sport, it was somewhat of a late bloomer. Its recognition and evolution is similar to how the online sports betting and casino platforms featured on Casinos.com took time to develop over the past few decades.

Is Irish Volleyball Popular Today?

While Irish sports fans still tend to gravitate towards Gaelic football or rugby, volleyball’s participation and engagement are prospering. In 2024, three times as many people were taking part in the sport and five times as many children were playing volleyball compared to 2019. The country also hosted the 2024 u20 Women’s European Volleyball Championship Finals, becoming the first European Volleyball Small Countries Zone member to host a European Championships Finals, so it’s safe to say that the sport has come a long way from its early days.

Volleyball still isn’t a household sport like football, but the combination…