CúChulainn Archers Shine at Irish National Field Championships and Beyond
As the Outdoor Archery Season draws to a close, archers are gearing up for some of the biggest competitions of the year. One of these key events took place this weekend, 7th and 8th September, as the Irish National Field Championships were hosted by Drewstown Archery Club in the picturesque grounds of Drewstown House, Fordstown, Co. Meath.
Representing CúChulainn Archers were Peter Gilmore, Philip Fitzpatrick, Gilbert McClelland, Alan Convery, and Robert Hall. Blessed with beautiful weather, it was a weekend of intense competition in a challenging, yet scenic setting.
The course, nestled in the wooded grounds of Drewstown, featured 24 targets per day. On the first day, archers faced unmarked targets, testing their ability to gauge distances—no easy feat. The second day’s targets were marked, adding a different layer of strategy and precision to the competition.
Results:
• In the Compound Senior Men category, Alan Convery claimed Gold.
• Robert Hall also shot impressively but was unable to compete on both days, finishing 6th.
• In the Masters Men Compound category, Philip Fitzpatrick took Gold, while teammate Gilbert McClelland secured the Silver, making it a double podium finish for CúChulainn.
• In Barebow Men, Peter Gilmore earned the Bronze medal with a solid performance.
Meanwhile, Neil Keeble, also of CúChulainn Archers, is focused on 3D archery as he prepares to represent Ireland at the upcoming World Archery 3D Championships in Mokrice, Slovenia from 30th September to 6th October. This will be Neil’s first time representing Ireland, and we wish him the best of luck!
In preparation for this prestigious event, Neil traveled to Thurles, Co. Tipperary for the Irish Field Archery Federation’s Unmarked Animal Round, hosted by Black Castle Archers. He judged distances brilliantly and shot his way to another Gold medal in the Barebow category, an excellent warm-up ahead of his international debut.
What’s Next:
The next major event on the calendar is the Irish Archery Outdoors Nationals Target Championships, taking place on Saturday 14th September for Seniors and on Sunday 15th September for Juniors and Masters. Some archers will also compete in the Northern Irish National and Open Archery Championships in Lisnagarvey, Co. Antrim on Sunday.
CúChulainn Archers extends their best wishes to all competitors in the upcoming events!
For those interested in joining the sport, CúChulainn Archers holds beginner courses throughout the year. For more information, email cuchulainnarchers@hotmail.com.