A Quick Guide to Handball

Handball is one of the oldest GAA games, one of the most famous pictures of the sport dating back to the 1700's. As every other Gaelic game, handball started with less defined rules - in fact the motto 'any ball, any wall, anytime' was very true then. Any piece of wall was used regardless of size or shape. In fact kicking the ball was once allowed!

In Ireland we have the 60x30 (foot) alley. In this you can play either Soft or Hardball - hardball being the original Irish game and is played with a small leather ball (Some people train with a golf ball as it is cheaper).

With the huge influence the Irish had on the states handball was seen to flourish in America as well. The Americans changed the game however - they introduced the 40x20 alley, and timeouts. This is now the most popular form in both Ireland and
America (Although not the best.).

Other forms of handball that have developed are three-wall and one-wall(pretty self explanatory!), and prison handball (one-wall as played in prisons). Different versions also developed in other countries: Fives (England), and a version in the Basque region as well.



The basic rules of the game are:
-Serve from between the lines. the ball must hit the front wall first and come back behind the second line
-The ball may bounce once before being struck
-The ball must then hit the front wall before hitting the floor
-Whoever wins a rally serves
-You can only score when you serve
-You must get out of the other players way (or a re-play will be called)

For a full set of: Rules


Other things:

Gloves and Goggles may be worn, they are both required for small(40x20) alley.
Famous irish handballers include: Eoin Kennedy Ducksy Walsh and Paul Brady

It would be remiss of me not to add to the list of famous handballers the names of John J. Gilmartin, Joey Maher and Pat Kirby to name a few.
Referring to Gilmartin: Would I be correct in my thinking that he holds the record for most Senior Singles? 23 or 24 if memory serves me.

Welcome to the site Cliste BTW.

Boxtyeater wrote:It would be remiss of me not to add to the list of famous handballers the names of John J. Gilmartin, Joey Maher and Pat Kirby to name a few.
Referring to Gilmartin: Would I be correct in my thinking that he holds the record for most Senior Singles? 23 or 24 if memory serves me.

Welcome to the site Cliste BTW.

Thanks!

I'm not sure about Gilmartin, unfortunately even Duxie is before my time really! And I'm not sure about Gilmartin - I dug out the program from last years final - Gilmartin won 3 Senior Singles (Big Alley) 1938, 39, and 46 He won doubles 3 times as well...

What about Frank Daly - Na Fianna legend!

Jayo Cluxton wrote:What about Frank Daly - Na Fianna legend!

Is he that famous now!?

He's recently to be seen sporting a beard

Cliste wrote:

Jayo Cluxton wrote:What about Frank Daly - Na Fianna legend!

Is he that famous now!?

He's recently to be seen sporting a beard

Ha Ha! Good to have a NF man on board. The first medal I ever won was for handball!! Never won another though!

[/quote]

Thanks!

I'm not sure about Gilmartin, unfortunately even Duxie is before my time really! And I'm not sure about Gilmartin - I dug out the program from last years final - Gilmartin won 3 Senior Singles (Big Alley) 1938, 39, and 46 He won doubles 3 times as well...[/quote]

Google Talbots Inch handball club for info on Gilmartin.

Could you post up a link - don't worry I'll believe you though!

Jayo Cluxton wrote:Ha Ha! Good to have a NF man on board. The first medal I ever won was for handball!! Never won another though!

Shouldn't have given the handball up then

Jayo Cluxton wrote:What about Frank Daly - Na Fianna legend!

Actually if you know Frank you should know Pat Ryan as well. He won the All-Ireland Masters Doubles there last weekend!

All Ireland Results

Cliste wrote:

Jayo Cluxton wrote:What about Frank Daly - Na Fianna legend!

Actually if you know Frank you should know Pat Ryan as well. He won the All-Ireland Masters Doubles there last weekend!

All Ireland Results

Met Pat alright but would know Frank well. NF alleys is where I first played and the old St Vincent's CBS alleys at the orphanage where Dalcassian Downs is now!

Jayo Cluxton wrote:

Cliste wrote:

Jayo Cluxton wrote:What about Frank Daly - Na Fianna legend!

Actually if you know Frank you should know Pat Ryan as well. He won the All-Ireland Masters Doubles there last weekend!

All Ireland Results

Met Pat alright but would know Frank well. NF alleys is where I first played and the old St Vincent's CBS alleys at the orphanage where Dalcassian Downs is now!

Those alleys must be gone from there now - there's a serious lack of alleys in Dublin (well... players as well so it's not a huge problem)

Well if you see Frank tell him Ciarán says hi!

Good man cliste. Nice summary of it.

Mayo our Mayo folks will help me here .. In the Neale there is a wall beside the church. I can't figure out if it was for handball. Anyone know? Tis pretty overgrown now.

RMDrive wrote:Good man cliste. Nice summary of it.

Mayo our Mayo folks will help me here .. In the Neale there is a wall beside the church. I can't figure out if it was for handball. Anyone know? Tis pretty overgrown now.

Neale a fhios agam!!

Ciaran - surname begin with G??

RMDrive wrote:Good man cliste. Nice summary of it.

Mayo our Mayo folks will help me here .. In the Neale there is a wall beside the church. I can't figure out if it was for handball. Anyone know? Tis pretty overgrown now.

If it looks like it could be used for handball it probably was. Look at these handball alley's!

Jayo Cluxton wrote:Ciaran - surname begin with G??

Nope!

I think the Americans came across one in downtown Baghdad. I remember reading about it - it was called Comical Alley.

Cliste wrote:

RMDrive wrote:Good man cliste. Nice summary of it.

Mayo our Mayo folks will help me here .. In the Neale there is a wall beside the church. I can't figure out if it was for handball. Anyone know? Tis pretty overgrown now.

If it looks like it could be used for handball it probably was. Look at these handball alley's!

Jayo Cluxton wrote:Ciaran - surname begin with G??

Nope!

I played handball first at the ball-alley in the top picture, it's beside what was formerly known as Cornagon N.S. in beautiful Leitrim.
It was one of three alleys in the parish 50 years ago.Tremendous works completed at the alley in the village of Fenagh though - currently very popular and a work of art for an outdoor alley.

Is the ground right for that alley though Boxtyeater?!

Jayo Cluxton wrote:I think the Americans came across one in downtown Baghdad. I remember reading about it - it was called Comical Alley.

While I died a little after reading it - I enjoyed that!

Cliste wrote:While I died a little after reading it...:

You find that is a common emotional response to JC's efforts

[quote="Cliste"]Is the ground right for that alley though Boxtyeater?!

Good God Cliste handball hasn't been played there for 40 odd years.
It's an amazingly picturesque location though, by the roadside, over the ditch and into the lake. The public road was incorporated into the playing area in those times.
Oh! the innocent misspent evenings of youth.

Boxtyeater wrote:

Cliste wrote:Is the ground right for that alley though Boxtyeater?!

Good God Cliste handball hasn't been played there for 40 odd years.
It's an amazingly picturesque location though, by the roadside, over the ditch and into the lake. The public road was incorporated into the playing area in those times.
Oh! the innocent misspent evenings of youth.

I was wondering!

Yea I played outdoor handball for the first time a few weeks ago - It's the best, you get to play with a cooling breeze while working on a tan!

Has anybody here played 60/40 singles in an open alley?

Now that requires cunning/fitness/skill/ambi-dexterity and fitness.

Your hand would be wrecked.