Five Galway teams were among 64 groups from across Ireland that competed this week in the 13th annual Active Retirement Ireland National Bowls Competition, which took place at the Gleneagle INEC Arena in Killarney, Co. Kerry.
The teams from Galway were named the Ardrahan 1 and 2 teams, the Hunters of Loughrea, Gort AAA and Gort Coole.
The Galway squads joined more than 250 competitors from 15 counties for the tournament which took place over three days.
The competition saw Midleton, Co Cork team the Magpies take home the large bowls cup for the third year running, and Cnoc Buí A from Co Waterford take home the small bowls cup.
The teams were presented with their trophies by Active Retirement Ireland National President Mai Quaid and CEO Fran Brennan at a special gala ball held last night (20.11.2025) to close the competition. Finalists from counties Carlow, Kerry, Kildare, Westmeath and Wicklow were also presented with awards.
Speaking at the awards presentation, Active Retirement Ireland CEO Fran Brennan said: “Well done to the Galway teams who participated in this year’s National Bowls Competition, and special congratulations to our finalists across the large and small bowls tournaments.
“This tournament is a celebration of older people and their right to live independent, full lives in which they can stay socially connected and be active participants in their communities. The more than 450 competitors, volunteer officials and spectators who have joined us in Killarney this week exemplify the drive and self-determination of older people to live their best life in later life.
“We are all ageing, and it cannot be too much to ask that people in Galway and across Ireland be supported to age well — with dignity, independence and equality. It is time the government took meaningful steps to develop and implement whole-of-government strategies and frameworks to ensure we can.
“Thank you to Hidden Hearing for their generous support of the 2025 National Bowls Competition, and to our wonderful hosts the Gleneagle Hotel and staff for their steadfast recognition of the value and contribution of older people in Irish society and for their ongoing support in making this event possible each year.”
There are 516 local Active Retirement Associations (ARAs) in local communities across Ireland, including in Galway — groups of older people who come together to organise social events and activities to reinforce social connectedness and reduce loneliness — supported by the national body Active Retirement Ireland, Ireland’s largest membership organisation for older people in the country. For more information about Active Retirement Ireland and to find your local group in Galway, see www.activeirl.ie.
