The Irish Curling Association (ICA) was formed in 1994 by a group of Irish expatriates living in Scotland. Since then, it has been granted recognition by, first the Scottish Royal Caledonian Curling Club (RCCC), then the Irish Olympic Council and after ten years finally the European Curling Federation and the World Curling Federation. We play in a variety of events from club games to RCCC competions, Four Nation friendlies and most importantly at international level representing our country.

Curling was well established in Ireland in the 1800s - the Belfast Curling Club was a founder member of the RCCC in 1841, and played friendly matches against Ardrossan Castle Curling Club. There were also clubs at Clandeboye and at Kiltonga (Newtownards). All of these clubs played on outdoor ice, but none managed to continue curling after 1904. We are re-introducing curling to Ireland after a gap of almost a century.

ICA re-established the fixture between Belfast and Ardrossan Castle Curling clubs which is possibly the world’s oldest international inter-club fixture in any sport! It was first played in the 1850s, and revived in 1995 at Harvie’s Ice Rink in Ayrshire. The original medal was found in the Ardrossan trophy cabinet and now forms part of a new trophy. The new millenium saw Ardrossan curlers return to Belfast for the first time since 1861, and the ICA curlers won the trophy.

Although the ICA is open to all curlers with any Irish connection, only those who meet World Curling Federation criteria (birth, parentage or residence) qualify to curl for Ireland at international level. The ICA has six member clubs:
* Belfast (for those with Belfast connections)
* Clandeboye and Kiltonga (for those from County Down)
* Bann (for those from Counties Antrim, Armagh and Derry)
* Leinster (for curlers with connections to the Province of Leinster)
* Atlantic (for curlers from Munster, Connaught, Fermanagh and Donegal)
* Ailsa Craig (for Scottish residents whose parents passed Ailsa Craig en route for Scotland!)

Annual club fixtures include Bonspiels, the Irish Playdowns and a points competition all mostly played at Hamilton in Scotland (the most central rink for most current ICA members); an International weekend held each March at Stranraer. For a full listing see our events page.

Future plans include -
1) the establishment of regular club curling in Ireland
2) involvement in any new ice rinks opened in Ireland to encourage curling facilities.
3) participation in the World and European championships, and in the Winter Olympics

Our first (albeit unofficial) international event was in the Ford World Curling Chamionships held in April 2000 in Glasgow, Scotland. Running alongside the main event were the World Seniors, a competition open to curlers aged 50 and over. A very successful adjunct to the main competition. Although Ireland did not win the event, the teams enjoyed competing and our goal to participate fully in international curling was one step closer.

Ireland has now competed in a number of international events and performed extremelly well. In 2004, in our first season eligible for competing in International events, our mens team gained unprecedented success by winning the silver medal in the 'B' League at the European Championships held in Sofia, Bulgaria. This earned us a place in the A section in the 2005 European Championships in Germany competing against Europe's elite teams (televised on Eurosport). A good performance at these championships will see us participate at the World Championships in April 2006 and beginning our quest to qualify Ireland for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.