16.04.2026
Calling All Hockey Players – Diocesan Hockey Challenge to be Revived
Parishes throughout the dioceses are being urged to rally their hockey playing parishioners. The hotly contested Archbishop of Dublin’s Diocesan Hockey Challenge is to be revived in May.
Many will remember the glory days of the inter–parish hockey tournament which enabled parishioners to engage in a bit of good natured rivalry on the hockey pitches with the aim of winning the Archbishop of Dublin’s Diocesan Hockey Challenge Cup. The tournament last took place in 2014.
In 1995 the then Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Donald Caird, presented the Diocesan Hockey Challenge Cup for competition between parishes in the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough.
The cup was played for by parishes with full teams and the tournament was run by Canon Gillian Wharton for many years. In recent years the cup has been languishing in the Diocesan Office.
Now the Diocesan Secretary, Ian Walshe, himself a hockey player who competed for the cup with the team from the Leixlip Union back in the day, is reviving the competition.
The competition will take place on Saturday May 23 2026 at 4.00pm in St Columba’s College over one day. It will be a mixed six–aside competition with a team consisting of three men and three women and no goalkeepers. This will be a sociable event and there will be food provided after the competition. The Dioceses would like to thank Corinthian Hockey Club for allowing their facilities to be used.
All parishes are invited to take part and are urged to put the call out for players as soon as possible. If your parish is interested in taking part, please email Ian by Friday May 15 2026 at dgsecretary@dublinchurchofireland.org.
The first tournament in 1995 was won by Leixlip Union. Other winners have included Kill O’ the Grange, Rathfarnham, Stillorgan, Delgany, Rathmichael, Glenageary, Bray, Newcastle and Dalkey. Bray won the cup when the tournament was last run in 2014.
Apart from competing for the pride of the parish, teams also aimed to avoid ‘winning’ the Archbishop’s chamber pot if they finished in last place. The current location of the chamber pot is unknown. Anyone with information can contact the Diocesan Secretary.
