Petanque – the greatest game you’ve never heard of

CITY parks all around Dublin are coming alive with the clash of steel.

The game is called Boule, or Petanque as the French refer to it and it is growing like wildfire.

Rolling and throwing steel balls for fun is catching on. And the Southside is becoming home to this very enjoyable sport.

Three times a week, on Wednesdays at 2.30pm, at 6.15pm and also on Sundays at 11am, the Bushy Park Boule Club in Terenure is out on the green busy perfecting their moves.

Over on the Northside St Ann’s Park in Raheny has been getting in on the act and there are now four playing grounds with the main group coming together at 10am on Wednesdays.

The People’s Park in Dun Laoghaire hosts games on Saturday mornings at 11am while Marlay Park in Rathfarnham has become the latest venue for the sport.

Located near the coffee shop beside the old English garden, it provides one of the best locations in the city for the game.

For those readers who want to know how to get started, it is easy.

Travel to one of the local parks and meet up with current players to get advice. Boule are inexpensive with two player sets costing

?¬30 and competition Boule costing

?¬70.

Most of the clubs are free to join, making it a very low cost game.

Men and women can compete on equal terms and there are few age barriers. Early teens can play if they can hold a Boule and once learned this game can be played well into old age.

The oldest player in Ireland, at 101-years-of-age plays regularly with other active retired men in Bushy Park on Monday and Friday mornings.

Another way to get started is to form your own group with friends, family or neighbours. It doesn’t matter how you get going once you get out in the fresh air and enjoy the company.

Other parks with suitable playing areas are Herbert Park, Cabinteely Park, Watergate Park, Iveagh Gardens and Corkagh Park.

For more information see our website www.dublinpetanque.com