Keystone Irish Road Bowling Club

Monday, August 20, 2012

Thanks to all those that came to road bowl on Sunday. We had a great time. We will do it again in September.

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Sunday, Aug 19th was our first official Keystone Irish Road Bowl. We had about 20 people show up to take part.
We bowled four teams two scores of one mile each. It was a fun day with great people. Thanks to all that participated and we hope you will all play again next month.

Team 1 - Lauren Lynch
Ryan Jepson
Chuck Soulliard
Mike Lynch (game 2)

Team 2 - Amy Goldsworthy

Rob Coursey

Eric Soulliard WINNERS OF BOTH SCORES

Liam (Game 2)

Team 3 - Cathy Cazier
   Billy Peirson
   Ashley Cazier

Team 4 - Alexis Cazier
   Courtney Rugerio
               Scott Stiles
               Tim Lynch (Game 2)

Road Showers - Debbie Lynch
                           Starr Lynch
   Liam Smithson
   Hunter Smithson
Score 1
Team 2 - 24 WINNER
Team 3 - 29
Team 4 - 31
Team 1 - 31

Score 2
Team 2 - 29 WINNER
Team 1 - 37
Team 3 - 37
Team 4 - 41

Friday, August 10, 2012

The Sop

A clump of grass is placed on the road to mark the spot where the thrower should roll toward to assist in aiming for the desired location. Very good throwers can hit the tuft of grass, which is called "splitting the sop". This is Flory O'Mahoney, the founder of the North American Region and former All Ireland Champion setting the sop at the Region Finals in West Virginia.

Rules

A 28 ounce iron and steel cannonball the size of a tennis ball (a "bowl"or "bullet") is hurled down a country lane. The player or team with the fewest shots to the finish line wins.

A "road shower" stands ahead of the thrower, feet apart, to show the best line or path in the road.

The thrower runs to the throwing mark and, in the Northern or County Armagh style, extends the arm and bowl behind him as he runs. At the throwing mark the arm is snapped forward by arching the back and shoulders, releasing the bowl underhand before stepping over the mark.

In the Southern or County Cork style, as the thrower runs to the mark the arm and bowl are lifted up and back, then whirled downward into an underhand throw, releasing the bowl before stepping over the mark.

Wherever the bowl stops (not where it leaves the road surface), a chalk mark is made at the nearest point on the road and the next throw is taken from behind that mark.

Over tight curves, or corners where two roads meet, the bowl may be thrown through the air (lofted). The loft must strike the road or pass over it. If the loft fails to reach the road, it counts as one shot, and the next throw must be taken again from the same mark.

If two players or teams approach the finish line with equal shots, the winner is decided by which throw goes farthest past the finish line.

Irish Terms

A Score - a match. (Years ago, players were given 20 shots each, the winner determined by who went the greatest distance.)

A Shot - a throw.

Bowl of Odds - when one bowler is one full shot fewer than his opponent, i.e., when a bowler is equal to or farther in distance than his opponent, but has thrown one less shot.

Bowl or Bullet - the 28-ounce small cannonball used in Irish Road Bowling.

Bullets or Long Bullets - the County Armagh term for road bowling.

Butt - the throwing mark on the road. To step over the mark before releasing the bowl is to "break butt."

Clear the Road - to get spectators out of the road in front of the thrower.

Corner - a sharp curve in the road or a corner where two roads meet.

Faugh a Ballach! - traditional Irish battle cry (Clear the Way!).

Get Sight or Open the Corner - to throw so deeply into the curve that the next throw is a straight shot out.

Kitter-Paw - a left-handed thrower.

Loft - to throw through the air.

Sop - a tuft of grass placed in the road at a spot where the bowl should first strike the surface. An experienced bowler can "Split the Sop."

Stylish Bowler - a bowler with a smooth well-coordinated delivery.

Road bowling has a long history - it apparently started in ancient Ultster at a time when Ireland had kings, at Eamhain Maca near Armagh, in the county of Cork, Ireland. In the early days, stone balls were used, but nowadays cast-iron balls are preferred.

The standard ball size or "bullet" is 58 mm diameter and 0.8 kg (28 ounce), about the size of a tennis ball. The aim of the competition is to cover a prescribed distance with a set number of throws, thus the basic premise is similar to golf. They follow along a country road course, up to 4 km long, and the fewest throws to cover the distance wins the contest.

http://www.irishroadbowling.ie/index.htm

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

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North America Region Finals 2012

We enjoyed participating in the North American Region Finals and the hospitality of the West Virginia Irish Road Bowlers Association. http://wvirishroadbowling.com/index.html.

Deb and Mike proudly wearing their O'Loinsigh shirts.

This rattlesnake was ready to strike along the road. That's bad when your looking for the ball.

I am following the action.

Starr takes her turn.

Debbie throws the bowl.

Thataway lass!

The WV University Mountaineer stands with Dave Powell of the WVIRBA.

These are the finals shirts that were available.

Some of the Boston players prepare their strategy.

Airborne!

Con O'Callaghan (left) was two time All Ireland Champion and is the founding member of the North American Region Club. Brendan Fleming (holding umbrella) is also a two time All Ireland Champion and is a native of Co. Cork. He now lives in Boston. Brendan is 67 years old and is still one of the best on the course.