Fencing Ireland
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Emblem used on Irish national fencing uniform | |
| Sport | Fencing |
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| Jurisdiction | Republic of Ireland |
| Founded | 1936 |
| Affiliation | FIE |
| Regional affiliation | CEE |
| Headquarters | Dundrum, Dublin 14, Ireland |
| Chairman | Philip Lee |
| Secretary | Nuala McGarrity |
| Other key staff | Honorary Treasurer: Julian Smith |
| Replaced | Irish Amateur Fencing Federation |
| Official website | |
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www | |
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Fencing Ireland (Irish: Pionsóireacht Éireann) – formally the Irish Fencing Federation (IFF; Irish: Cumann Pionsóireachta na hÉireann) – is the governing body for the sport of fencing in the Republic of Ireland. It was formally established in 1936, although the sport of fencing has been practiced in Ireland since the beginning of the 1900s. The Federation is recognised by Sport Ireland and the Olympic Council of Ireland, and it is also affiliated to the Federation Internationale d'Escrime and European Fencing Confederation.[1]
History
The organisation was established as the Irish Amateur Fencing Federation (IAFF) in 1936, and remained under that title until 2008 when it was reconstituted as the Irish Fencing Federation; the current trading name was adopted in March 2015.
Fencing has been included in the Olympic games since their modern day inception in 1896 and the sport formally came to Ireland ten years later in 1906 when the Irish Fencing Club was founded in Dublin. It was not the first club in Ireland, but it was the first in which the principal aim was exercise and sport rather than duelling. The club closed in 1917, but was restarted again in 1933 following advertisements in Dublin newspapers. This was followed in 1934 by the Cork Fencing club, renamed Club Palestrina in 1943, and the British Legion Fencing club in 1935. In 1936 the Irish Amateur Fencing Federation was set up as the governing body of the sport in Ireland and remains the sole governing body of the sport in Ireland today.
Growth of the sport in Ireland
Over the coming years clubs were set up in:
- Blackrock College, Dublin University (1936, revived in 1940)
- Dublin University Fencing Club (1941)
- The Royal College of Surgeons, Kilkenny (1942)
- Limerick Fencing Club (1944)
- Shannon Fencing Club (1947)
- Cork County (1952), Clonmel (1954)
- UCD Fencing Club (1955).
Through the years the list of clubs has continued to grow. Fencing clubs have been established in most major universities in Ireland and several private clubs have also been added to the list, particularly around the Dublin area.
References
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