About WVIRB

Before football, soccer, and basketball, before baseball and golf, was … The Old Game, Irish Road Bowling.

Enjoy the pleasure of an afternoon walk on a scenic country road by becoming part of the West Virginia Irish Road Bowling Association. This ancient game has been played for more than 300 years on the rural country roads in Ireland, but it is now being brought to you from the green hills of West Virginia. Also known as Irish Long Bullets, this  sport is for men and women of all ages from 9 to 90 and is extremely easy to learn while being highly competitive.
 
Irish Road Bowling is primarily played in County Armagh in Northern Ireland and in County Cork in Southern Ireland. It consists of a ball made out of iron and steel that is heavy enough to pick up speed, yet small enough for any person to handle. Besides the basic rules and terms, all you do is hurl this 28 oz. sized “bowl” with an underhand motion over a 1 to 2 mile country road and see how far it goes! Scored like golf, the fewest number of shots from the start to the finish line wins.

History of Irish Road Bowling

Rules and Terms

WVIRB Mission Statement