It was dark and chilly when we finally arrived at our hotel in Kilkenny. We parked the car and dragged our tired bodies into the hotel lobby. “Ooooooh, there you are! Welcome to Kilkenny! We’ve been expecting you!” I had to look around to make sure she was talking to us.
It hadn’t been easy, but we had made it to Kilkenny, Ireland. Our long travel day had been made longer by the steering wheel being on the wrong side of the car. By the time we arrived, I could almost say I knew how to drive in a right-hand drive country.
The kind lady continued, “And how did ya find your journey?” She looked at my Better Half. “Oh ya poor thing! You’re a wee bit chilly aren’t ya? Warm yourself by the fire while we get things in order here.” The lobby was warm and cozy, like it was someone’s living room.
“Are ya hungry? Would ya be wantin’ some dinner now? Our restaurant is booked solid, but if ya like I’ll call around and see what I can find for ya.”
She made a reservation for us at a place down the street, then gave us directions… “Joost walk oot front, make a left, then another left, go over the bridge, then keep goin’ for a couple a blocks. Ya can’t miss it.”
We found the restaurant, had a great dinner, made our way back to the hotel, and passed out. It had been one very long day.
Handball – “The Perfect Game”
We were in Ireland for the World Handball Championships. I was a participant. Not because I was a world-class handball player, but because I’d sent in the modest entry fee.
Few people outside Ireland and the United States are familiar with the game of handball. This isn’t “team handball” that’s played in the Olympics. This is the original game of handball as it has been played in Ireland for hundreds of years. A similar game, called “Pelota,” is played in Basque areas of Spain.
The game of handball goes way back. A handball historian might show you hieroglyphs showing guys playing a form of handball in ancient Egypt. I’ve even seen pictures of cave paintings depicting what could have been two guys playing handball. (You have to squint your eyes a bit and use your imagination). The sport goes back pretty far, but maybe not that far.
Ireland – Where Modern Handball was Born
Ireland is the original home of modern handball. In its simplest form, called “one-wall,” it’s played against a single wall. The rules are the same as in racquetball or squash. Hit the ball to the front wall before it bounces on the ground twice. That’s essentially it.
Handball has always been a poor man’s game. No need for expensive equipment. No need for bats, mitts, racquets, pads, fields, nets, goal posts, clubs, or mallets. All a handball player needs is a ball and a wall. (Gloves are nice to have, though).
In the 19th century, Irish immigrants brought handball with them to the United States. It gained popularity in the concrete jungles of the Northeast. One could make a ball out of just about anything, and the side of a building made a fine wall.
Three kinds of handball spread throughout the U.S. – one-wall, three-wall, and four-wall. Its popularity waned when someone figured out that it’d be a lot easier to play if they used a racquet. You wouldn’t have to run as much, work as hard, or be able to use either hand to hit the ball. Anyone could do it. Racquetball was born.
Thanks to the popularity of racquetball, hundreds of new handball courts were built across the country. (They called ’em “racquetball” courts, but they’re really handball courts). Thanks to racquetball, there’s no shortage of courts today, but there’s an increasing shortage of handball players.
Time to Check in
After a great night’s sleep and breakfast, we went to check in at tournament headquarters. I was surprised to learn that more than 1,000 players from nine countries had entered, including a lot of Canadians.
Players were divided into groups based on age, sex, and ability. There was a bracket for each group, just like in any kind of tournament. If you win your match, you advance in your bracket. If you lose, you’re done. You become a spectator.
But here’s the neat part… There weren’t enough courts in Kilkenny to accommodate all the players, so matches would be played in courts scattered all over County Kilkenny and beyond.
In my case, if I could stay alive long enough, I’d get to play in three different towns, and see more of Ireland in the process. I’d be able to practice my right-hand driving skills, too, eh?
To be continued…
