Weekend Softball Leagues

From time-to-time brief Provincial Leagues or Challenge matches involving teams from Connacht, Munster and Leinster outside of Dublin; as well as Dublin (SL Weekend League and ISA Inter-County Tournament) have been organized. These Leagues, Tournaments or Friendly matches have been separate from the Leinster and Ulster Softball Leagues which have been running since 1990 (LSL) and 2008 (USL) and the brief attempt at a Munster Softball League (2010-11). There has also been Weekend Leagues in Dublin (Gemstorm Winter League) and the Female Slowpitch League (Dublin).

Softball Business Leagues

Businesses and Corporations have been involved in Irish Softball since the first Leagues in the 1980s, with teams such as Fat Cats made up of american Businessmen. In the 1990s, Computer Companies got involved in a big way, and since the 2000s, there has been a separate Business House League or Corporate League in the Area. (see the Leinster Softball page on Eirball for more on the Leagues in the 1980s and 1990s: https://eirball.ie/leinster-softball/

The Business House League was run directly by Softball Ireland in the 2000s, and then, the Corporate League as it was now known, was run by Softball Leinster in the 2010s.

USA Softball Teams in Ireland

Winter Softball

Winter Softball in Ireland includes Fastpitch Softball Leagues, Winter Softball Leagues, Intervarsity Softball, Indoor Softball and Softball Business Leagues.

Fastpitch Softball Leagues

Fastpitch Softball is basically a Women’s Competitive version of Baseball, and differs from the Coed / Mixed version of Softball played in Ireland since the 1980s, as the pitching is fast and not in a soft arc, as in the recreational version of the sport (hence the name softball). There are 9 players in a Fastpitch Softball team, like in Baseball as opposed to 10 in Co-Ed (Mixed) Recreational Softball.

The Fastpitch Ireland programme dates from the early 2000s, when two Women’s teams were created, and then in the 2010s, the Softball Ireland National team (who played in both the World Championships and European Championships) was started.

In 2019-20 the first Softball Ireland Irish National Fastpitch League began, playing all its matches on the turf pitch at the National Indoor Arena in Blanchardstown, Dublin 15. Unlike the earlier Fastpitch Softball in Ireland, this is Coed / Mixed, with an equal representation of Men to Women (5:5).

Here are links to various Fastpitch competitions in Ireland and Internationally, involving Ireland teams.

Indoor Softball

Indoor Softball is played – as its name suggests – indoors, with soft ball (a softball is usually hard inspite of its name ) and bases taped onto the floor. Innings are timed and it is one point for getting on base and one point for getting home, however, a team loses a point for an out. Home runs are scored when the ball hits the back wall and bounces back off the floor without being caught – this enables all players on base – as well as the hitter – to advance back to home plate.

Intervarsity Softball

Intervarsity Softball has been played in Ireland since 2001. Below you will find links to the Results & Tables of each Season.

Winter Softball Leagues

The Gemstorm-sponsored Winter League ran from 1999-2000 to 2001-02, with teams named after Big Cats. Trinity College Dublin Tigers and University College Dublin Wildcats joined in 2000-01.

Provincial Softball

Connacht Munster Softball

There are four Provinces in Ireland, each of which has or had its own Softball League, beginning with the Leinster Softball League which started in 1989, following on from the Dublin Softball League which played from 1982 to 1989. The Ulster Softball League started in 2009 and is still playing. The Munster Softball League played from 2011-2014, growing out of the Cork-Galway Friendlies, and the Galway Softball League (Connacht) started in 2020, growing out of the Galway Softball Trophy which played in the 2010s.

Connacht Munster Softball

Galway Softball is represented by Galway Tribes and Galway Hookers, and there was once a Connacht Softball Association in 2002 which included Longford Triads. In 2021 a new four team Galway Softball League started with teams carrying sponsors names from local businesses. The Galway Softball League replaced the Munster Softball League which ran from 2010 to 2011 including teams from Cork, Limerick, West Clare and Galway. From 2006 to 2009 Cork, Galway and Kerry teams played friendlies amongst themselves and Galway’s two teams the Tribes (named after famous Galway Merchant Families) and the Hookers (named after famous Galway Boats) played friendlies amonst themselves and in Blitzes from approximately 2014 to 2018.

Galway Softball

After the Cork and West Clare Softball teams ceased, Limerick and Galway continued to play in blitzes in Dublin and in the Irish Open Softball Tournament, while the Galway team formed two teams: Tribes and Hookers (named after famous Galway Merchant families and famous Galway boats respectively).

Softball Munster

Lasting two years the Munster Softball League featured teams from Cork, Limerick, West Clare and Galway.

Cork-Galway Softball

From 2006 to 2008 Galway and Cork Softball teams played friendly games against each other. These two teams were joined by teams from Kerry in 2009 leading to the first full-fledged League outside Dublin – the Munster Softball League in 2010.

Inter-County Softball

Starting in 2001 the first League play outside Dublin featured teams from Bray (Co. Wicklow), Longford, Galway, Cork, and two Business teams.

Softball Ulster

The Ulster Softball League started in 2008, after two seasons of the Softball Ulster Summer League. It has grown from 3 teams in 2008 to 11 teams in two Divisions by 2022 including the first teams outside of Belfast (Bangor Buccaneers and Lisburn Hawks).

Softball Leinster

The Leinster Softball League is a Coed Slowpitch Softball League in Leinster Province, Ireland. It is currently at a 5:5 Male:Female Ratio although in its early days it was 9:1 Male:Female. There was a Female Slowpitch League from 1997-2002 which was League for Competitive Females from the top Divisions in the Leinster Softball League.

The most successful clubs over the entire history of the League have been Dodder Dynamoes (the oldest Softball team in Ireland) and Marlay Martyrs (both based in South Dublin suburbs – Marlay in Marlay Park, Rathfarnham (D14) and Dodder Dynamoes originally from Dodder Park, Dartry and now nomadic.

The League is Coed, originally 8:2 Ratio of Men:Women, until it levelled to 5:5 twice – in the late-1990s and in 2017.

Softball Leinster Roll of Honour

This is a look at the Champions of each of the Levels of the Leinster Softball League with the winning record (W-L-Pts) for each year of the League Champions.

Female Slowpitch League

The Female Slowpitch League lasted five years from 1997 to 2002 (one year – 2001 – there was no league). After the League ended in 2002 two Fastpitch Teams were created although there is no evidence of any Fastpitch competitions or teams playing until the Fastpitch Ireland programme was started in 2015

Leinster Softball League Level 1

Leinster Softball League History 1982-1989

The League started in 1982 as the Dublin Softball League with 5 teams – teams from the US Embassy Marines,  Japanese Embassy Skinny Rats, the Fat Cats (American Businessmen), the Misfits (American Students, Irish Computer Workers and American Businessmen), and one from the Druid’s Chair, Killiney.

Leinster Softball League Level 2

Leinster Softball League History 1990-1999

In 1990 the first Irish Softball Association was formed, which in 1992 became the Irish Baseball & Softball Association, adding a Second Division. A third Division was added in 1994, and a Fourth in 1996. In 1997 the Female Slowpitch League for Competitive Females was added.In 1998 the IBSA was renamed the Irish Baseball & Softball Federation.

Leinster Softball League Level 3

Leinster Softball League History 2000-2004

In 2000 a split occurred between the Baseball & Softball Federations, and The Irish Softball Association took over the running of Softball in Ireland. A fifth Coed Division was added that year and in 2001 a Seventh Level, the Men’s Non-Competitive League was added. 2002 was the last year of the Women’s Slowpitch League.

Leinster Softball League Levels 4-7

Leinster Softball History 2012-Present

Softball Leinster was reformed in 2011 for the purposes of running the League from 2012 onwards, with the League dropping to three levels.(Softball Leinster 2011-Present)

Leinster Softball Cups

Aside from the Leinster Softball League there has also been Leinster Softball Knockout (elimination) Cups, such as the Leinster Championship in the early 1990s and the 5:5 Pennant in the late 1990s.

Leinster Softball Teams

Dodder Dynamoes are the oldest (and original) Softball team in Ireland, dating right back to the 1980s and the Dublin Softball League prior to the founding of the Irish Softball Association.

Softball Blitzes

Softball Blitzes are one-day tournaments with teams playing numerous matches over the course of the day. Blitz games are usually played to a set time limit, and start with a one-and-one count (i.e. each player starts with one strike and one ball when coming to the plate to bat.

Softball Blitz Finals

Softball Blitzes take part all over the country, from Dublin in Leinster, to Ulster, Connacht and Munster, this Eirball page is a look at the Finals of each year in Softball Blitzes in Ireland. Links to each years finals are provided below.

Softball Connacht Blitzes

Galway Softball is represented by Galway Tribes and Galway Hookers, and there was once a Connacht Softball Association which included Longford Triads. In 2021 a new four team Galway Softball League started with teams carrying sponsors names from local businesses.

Softball Leinster Blitzes

Softball Blitzes take part throughout Dublin, with the Pink Blitz in St. Mary’s, Templeogue, and the Castleknock Invitational Blitz perhaps being the most notable among Leinster Softball Blitzes. Note: International Blitzes such as the Irish Open Softball Trophy and the Irish International Invitatational have their own page on Eirball.

Softball Munster Blitzes

From the Aughinish All-Ireland Challenge which was held in Limerick from 1986 to 1989 to the Munster Invitational Softball Tournament (MIST) from 2004 to 2005, Munster has played an integtral part of Softball Blitz Tournaments in Ireland.

Softball Ulster Blitzes

From the Teddy Bears Picnic (hosted by Belfast Cubs) to the SU Start of Season Blitz more recently, Blitzes have been a part of the Softball Ulster Weekend Schedule since the beginning.

WBSC Baseball

North American Baseball

The North American Baseball System includes Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball, Independent Baseball and the Men’s Amateur Baseball League (a National Tournament for the top Amateur Baseball teams in USA, which has included in its Senior League tournament MSBL the Ulster Buccaneers (also known as Ireland Buccaneers and UK & Ireland Buccaneers)

Major League Baseball

The Daddy of all Professional Sports Leagues, the National Professional Baseball Players Association (more commonly known as the National League) can trace its’ roots to the Cincinnati Red Stockings, the first openly all-Professional sports team in the world. The Cincinnati Red Stockings incuded among the “First Boys of Summer” (that first ever Professional Team) an Irishman, Andy Leonard, born in Co. Cavan, who left Ireland as a baby during the famine. In all there have been 48 Irish-born Major League Baseball Players from 1869 to the present day. The American League was formed in 1901 and since 1903 has played for the “World Series” with the National League. The two leagues merged as Major League Baseball in 2001 although kept their National League and American League names and separate identities, with the two Champions still playing for the World Series.

Minor League Baseball

Minor League Baseball has 4 Levels (AAA – “Division 2”, AA – “Division 3”, A – “Division 4” and Rookie – “Division 5”. It is akin to the English Football League (EFL Championship, EFL League One and EFL League Two) and and the National League in English Soccer, in that they are levels below Major League Baseball and the English Premier League. Minor League Baseball is where players hone their skills in the hope of reaching the Majors, recuperate after injury or finish out their careers after the Major Leagues. There have been numerous Irish-born Minor League Baseball players throughout its’ history.

Independent League Baseball

Independent League Baseball is a level below Minor League Baseball, consisting of Leagues which were set up to fill in the geographical gaps in the Minor League Baseball System, such as the Big 4 Indies: American Association (which opeartes in the Prairies and Plains), Atlantic League (Long Island and Chesapeake Bay), Frontier League (Illinois and Ohio Valley), Can-Am League (Quebec. Ottawa and New Jersey); Smaller Indies: Pacific Association (Hawai’i and Bay Area California); Pecos League (New Mexico and the Pecos Valley); North American League (Northern League: Hawai’i, Bay Area California and United League: Texas); United States Professional Baseball League (A travel league set in Upstate New York); Empire Professional Baseball League (New York City and Puerto Rico); Thoroughbred League (Kentucky). Recently the North American League dissolved with teams becoming part of the Pacific Association, while the Pecos League also took in refugees from the Minor League’s AA California League (Bakersfield Train Robbers and High Desert Yardbirds).

Baseball Winter Leagues

Winter Baseball Leagues create a space for players to play out of the Major and Minor League Baseball seasons. Some are in the Caribbean, while other leagues, such as the Arizona Fall League are in the USA.

British Baseball

International Softball

Ireland enters teams into the World Baseball-Softball Confederation (WSBC) Women’s World Softball Championships, European Softball Federation (ESF) European Softball Championships (both Fastpitch) as well as the Coed (Mixed) and Men’s Slowpitch European Championships. Club teams also enter the Coed Slowpitch Club Championships.

World Softball Championships

European Softball Federation

Professional Fastpitch Softball

Professional Softball Leagues for women include National Pro Fastpitch – the latest attempt at establishing a permanent Professional Softball League (Fastpitch Softball is Women’s Baseball). There are also leagues in Europe and around the world.

British Softball

Softball has two main variations: Fastpitch Softball, which is Women’s version of Baseball, and Slowpitch Softball, a mainly mixed (coed) recreational version of the game. In Europe, however, both Slowpitch and Fastpitch are highly competitive sports with International fixtures for both Club and Country. In USA, the highest levels of the sport of Softball in the World are the Professional Fastpitch Leagues and NCAA College Softball Leagues for Women.

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