IOST 2023 – Registration Now Open

After a very successful IOST in MTU cork last year in amazing weather, with sprinklers in great demand, IOST is returning to Cork for 2023 and will be held on the 12th and 13th of August. Once again the venue is MTU.

Team entry fee is €375 with registration closing on Friday the 4th of August at 5pm. Team entry is done using the form IOST Registration.

Accommodation is available for either 2 or 3 nights at Melbourne point at a cost of €80 per room per night. This can be booked online, with the link available on the IOST Registration form. Rooms are not held just for Softball, so it is advised to book early.

Any questions email tournaments@softball.ie

Slowpitch National Team Squad Announced

Sixty-one players registered to try out for the National Slowpitch Squads in February, and 58 attended over the three trial sessions. It was great to see both new and familiar faces representing the breadth of softball on the island. The coaching team was impressed with the level of commitment and the effort people made to travel to the sessions. They were also encouraged by the passion and potential demonstrated by the group of players.

While assessing the participants, the coaching team’s selection criteria considered technical ability, athleticism and all-round attitude. The longevity of the national squad program was also a factor, so the squad’s short-term and long-term goals were foremost in the selection process. 

We are pleased to announce the following extended squads for COED and Men’s. We want to congratulate those selected and look forward to working with them over the coming months.

Below is the list of 28 players selected for the extended COED squad. A panel of players will be selected from this squad to travel and represent Ireland at the European Championship in the Czech Republic in July.  

NameTeamNameTeam
Christopher BarrBelfast CubsMike LucasAverage Joes
Brian ConnollyDoddder DynamoesKen McCarthyDodder Dynamoes
Serena CostelloeAverage JoesAbigail McConnellGalway Tribes
Cathal CreavenGalway TribesNorma McIntyreBatPak
Wayne CullenAverage JoesLuke MolloyHippetys
Darryl DolanAverage JoesMerilin NeilandAverage Joes
Katie DoyleHippetysPearse NewmanHippetys
Brian HehirLNZ LondonJennifer Ó BuachallaBatPak
Ashleigh HowardBearcats CastleknockGary O’SheaDodder Dynamoes
Eric KellyMunsterSalvador Rizo LopezBatPak
Hazel KilduffBatPakMary Carroll SmithGalway Tribes
Niall LaveryDodder DynamoesMegan SutcliffeDublin Bay Packers
Simon LewisBearcats CastleknockJulie TrundleDublin Bay Packers
Eimear LinehanDodder DynamoesPhil WallaceBSC Brawlers

Below is the list of players selected for an extended 24-man squad for the Men’s. Although the official 2024 Men’s tournament has been cancelled, the coaching team will provide the opportunity for this squad to train together over the summer. 

NameTeamNameTeam
Christopher BarrBelfast CubsSimon LewisBearcats Castleknock
James CallowBSC BrawlerMike LucasAverage Joes
Lorcan CarbinGalway TribesAidan LynskeyAverage Joes
Jason CheungAshbourne AntlersPaddy MeehanBatPak
Brian ConnollyDodder DynamoesLuke MolloyHippetys
Cathal CreavenGalway TribesKevin MullanNewtownabbey Phoenix
Wayne CullenAverage JoesPearse NewmanHippetys
Darryl DolanAverage JoesEoin O’ConnorOaktown Brew Crew, Oakland CA
JP DolanSuffolk County Police TeamGary O’SheaDodder Dynamoes
Brian HehirLNZ LondonSalvador Rizo LopezBatPak
Eric KellyMunsterShane SheridanAverage Joes
Niall LaveryDodder DynamoesPhil WallaceBSC Brawlers

Peter Mullen
Head Coach

BWC Update

As of last week, the initial 16 team spots for the Brian Walshe Cup have been filled. We may have more spots open up the week before the tournament but we want teams to secure their attendance by paying a 50% non-refundable deposit of €75 to hold your team’s spot. Payments must be received no later than the 5th of April or teams will lose their spot. If your team no longer wants to enter they can relinquish their spot for the BWC by emailing tournaments@softball.ie.

Here’s a little history about the Brian Walshe Cup. Named after the Odd Sox Green player Brian Walshe – there is a great writeup about who Brian Walshe was which can be found here. The tournament used to be scheduled on multiple days throughout the season, usually on a bank Holiday Monday with Prem and 1st division teams potentially playing 2nd and 3rd division teams. After the first game, losing teams would be grouped into a lower division and winning teams would continue to play until an all-day final at the end of the year would determine the Brian Walshe Cup winner. There were a lot of walkovers and forfeits during the year, along with a lot of one-sided victories and with so many blitzes scheduled throughout the year, it was decided that it would be better to honour Brian Walshe by renaming one of SI’s most popular tournaments of the year – the Start of Season Blitz (SOSB) after Brian Walshe. So, the BWC SOSB continues and now just one month from today – Saturday the 20th of April 2024 the softball season will officially begin! Hope to see you there!

Don’t Forget! Send in your deposit – either by bank transfer or Revolut (bank details can be requested) to SI to hold your BWC spot or email tournaments@softball.ie if you want to let your spot go. Thanks!

News from the SI AGM

The Softball Ireland AGM was held on March 3, 2024 in ALSAA. 27 of the 44 teams that were registered with Softball Ireland in 2023 were in attendance or sent in Proxy votes for the Secretary position as well as two Constitutional amendments that were proposed. With only one person going forward, Jonathan Spielberg was confirmed as the new Softball Ireland Secretary. In addition to the secretary, Regional and Discipline representatives – Vinny McGrane for Softball Connacht Munster, Anke Klitzing for Softball Leinster, Brendan Sweeney for Softball Ulster and Melanie Cunningham for Fastpitch were all ratified by the members for the 2024 Board. Many thanks were given to outgoing Secretary Steven Trundle whose last act as Secretary was to complete the minutes of the AGM. Those minutes will be circulated after the first sitting of the new Softball Ireland board.

Other highlights from the AGM included an update from Softball Ireland President Colum Lavery and a Medical update from Dr. Melanie Cunningham. The AGM agreed to delay the approval of the Financial Statements to help clarify some questions raised on the reporting format following the implementation of a new accounting software. Emailed questions from the membership will be answered and SI will be looking for an approval of the accounts electronically in the coming weeks.

The most exciting news for Softball Ireland Members was the IOST announcement for the 17th and 18th of August in MTU Cork. This being the third year held there and Declan Carty, the Competitions Officer for SI, worked hard to secure the venue and organise accommodation. More details about the IOST will be released soon.

Brian Walshe Cup 2024 Now Open for Registration

There are still some indoor tournaments to be played, DIST in DCU on the 24th of Feb, Katie Long in Galway on 2nd of March and The Womens indoors in Belfast on 9th of March but with longer hours and warmer days it means it’s nearly time to move outdoors.

Hippetys Quadrangular will be the first outdoor blitz of the year on the 6th of April followed by the first team Blitz the Brian Walshe Cup in ALSAA on Saturday the 20th of April. This is the best time to get the whole team together and show what you have before the Leagues start.

Registration for the BWC is now open and you can register your team here

https://forms.gle/Y5yQTNfwkJxdEPgt6

Big Thanks goes to Declan Carty who has been arranging this and our other Blitz and keeping track of all tournaments under Softball Ireland.

Aideen Teo Confirmed As Slowpitch National Team Manager

Softball Ireland are pleased to announce the appointment of Aideen Teo as Slowpitch National Team Manager. Having recently joined the sport in 2022, Aideen is already well known among the community. She is currently on the Castleknock and Packers softball club boards, is a proud Black Panda in the All Girls league, and most recently was part of a team that represented Ireland at the Gay Games in Mexico last year.

As well as an obivous passion for the sport, Aideen brings significant professional skills and experience to the role including people management, organisation and planning. The Slowpitch coaching team are delighted with Aideen’s appointment and look forward to working closely with her to support the national squads.

Slowpitch National Team Open Trials – Dates Confirmed

Ireland’s Slowpitch National Team’s Head Coach has announced three dates for Open Trials for the National Team Programme.

The Slowpitch National Squad coaching team will be hosting three Open Trials for players
interested in joining the Co-Ed, and Men’s National Squads. Both teams will be competing in International tournaments this summer. The details for the trials are:

Saturday, 10 February 2024
1100-1400 in Sean Walsh Park, Tallaght, Dublin 24

Saturday, 17 February 2024
1430-1730 in University Limerick, Limerick

Sunday, 25 February 2024
1100-1400 in Sean Walsh Park, Tallaght, Dublin 24

Any players over the age of 18 with a valid Irish Passport are welcome to try out, on any or all of the three dates. In order to register, please complete the registration link or email spcoach@softball.ie
To offset the costs of renting the facilities, players wil be asked to contribute €10 per person on the day.

Slowpitch National Team Manager Vacancy

Irish Slowpitch Softball National Team Manager Position

Softball Ireland are seeking to appoint a Slowpitch National Team Manager for the 2024 international season. The Slowpitch National Softball Team Manager is a member of the voluntary group that includes the Head Coach, Assistant Coaches and team medical personnel. The Team Manager will report to the Slowpitch National Softball Team Head Coach.

Primary Duties Include

  • Acting as the centre for communications to and from players and staff of the Slowpitch Softball National Team.
  • Organising the logistics of the Slowpitch National Team trials and training in Ireland, in collaboration with the coaching team.
  • Setting and managing the Slowpitch Softball National Team’s budget for overseas competitions, signatory on the Slowpitch Softball National Team’s Bank Account and providing post-competition accounts. Both the budget and accounts are to be submitted to the Softball Ireland Treasurer for approval.
  • Organising logistics for overseas competitions (flights, accommodation, meals, local transport, laundry etc).
  • Organising the Slowpitch Softball National Team’s uniforms, clothing and equipment (with support from the other National Team Managers as appropriate).
  • Managing all aspects of the Slowpitch Softball National Team’s logistics for training and competitions in collaboration with the coaching team
  • Co-ordinating & managing the Board quarterly update reports & post tournament reports and submitting to Softball Ireland.


If you have any questions on the role, please do not hesitate to contact Peter Mullen at spcoach@softball.ie

Applicants are asked to submit their applications to spcoach@softball.ie by January 31, 2024.

Peter Mullen Appointed Slowpitch National Teams Head Coach

Following a review of Team Ireland’s preparations for and performace at the World Series in September 2023, the Softball Ireland Board unamiously agreed to appoint Peter Mullen (BatPak) as Head Coach for the Slowpitch National Teams (Co-ed & Men’s). Peter has been apponted as Head Coach until the conclusion of the 2025 World Series.

When appointing Peter to the role, the Board were impressed by the postive post tournament player feedback together with Peter’s committment to the development of our National Slowpitch Programme and determination to raise the standard and quality of Slowpitch Softball throughout the country.

Ireland will compete in Co-ed and Men’s European Championship Slowpitch tournaments during 2024 , and Peter plans to hold training sessions and open trials during January and February 2024 as part of the squad selection process.

Further information on the Slowpitch National Team assistant coaches and team manager will be shared in early 2024.

BSC Win 2023 IOST

A new name was placed on the historic IOST trophy in 2023 as Belfast Softball Club (BSC) won the IOST for its first time. BSC won out in the final against the Ori-Ginals having gone unebeaten for the whole tournament.

FULL REPORT TO FOLLOW

Registration for BWC 2023 Closed

We are full!

We are delighted to confirm that registration for the BWC is now full! Any team wishing to be placed on the waiting list should complete the registration form and should a place become open it will be offered the slot in order.

Full tournament details will be issued to Captains early next week and on the Softball Ireland Website!

Women’s Softball World Cup Format Confirmed

The format for the the Women’s Softball World Cup (Group A) which will be hosted in Balbriggan, Co. Dublin between July 11 – July 15, 2023 has been confirmed.

Under the new two-stage format, the World Cups are played over two consecutive years, with the Group Stage the first year with the Finals following the year after.

Two-Stage Softball World Cups: Group Stage Competition Format

  • 18 teams feature in the Group Stage spread across three groups
  • The top two teams from each group in the Group Stage advance to the Finals
  • Each group in the Group Stage will start with a single round robin.
  • The best four teams from the round robin will advance to play-offs where the top two sides play each other with a ticket to the Finals at stake.
  • The loser of the first play-off game will then play against the third v fourth winner for the second spot in the Finals

Full article on the format is available here

About – The Women’s Softball World Cup is being hosted at a 2,500 seater temporary stadium in Balbriggan Co. Dublin between July 11 – July 15, 2023. The tournament is being jointly hosted by Softball Ireland (Fastpitch) and Fingal County Council – for all media/sponsoship queries please email: softballwcireland@gmail.com