A local pétanque club has won its first international title and is hoping to bring the European Championships competition to Cavan when Ireland hosts the event for the first time in 2025.
The President of the Cavan Pétanque Club recently referred to the game as “the biggest sport you’ve never heard of”.
It is similar to bowls and played outside by people of all ages and abilities.
The Cavan club’s secretary, Billy Gleadell, was on Northern Sound earlier today celebrating Team Ireland’s epic Celtic Cup win.
He told the Joe Finnegan Show that the French word pétanque literally means 'feet planted', which goes some way to explaining the difference between this newer version of the sport of boulles you may have seen while holidayng in France.
Played on a gravel area known as a piste, competitors must stand with 'feet planted' in a small circle and throw a small plastic ball known as the ‘jack’ six to ten feet ahead of them.
The aim of the game for players then, is to throw the metal boule as close to the jack as possible. The winner is the person whose boule lies closest to the jack.
Earlier this year, Ireland beat off competition from experienced teams from England, Scotland and Wales to lift the Celtic Cup.
With clubs all over Ireland, including the Cavan club based at Belturbet Golf Club and one set to open at Magheraveely in County Fermanagh, Ireland has been ear-marked to host the European Championships in 2025.
To do that, the Belturbet Club would need to develop around 40 pistes - the gravel terrain on which the game is played - in a large arena called a Boulle-o-drome, something the group of enthusiasts are working on.
The Cavan Pétanque Club meets at Belturbet Golf Club every Thursday at 7pm and Sundays at 5pm. Anyone interested in coming along to see the sport being played or ask questions should visit the Cavan Pétanque Facebook page.
