The Irish Quidditch World Cup is to be hosted in Trinity this year, it was announced today. Consisting of teams from Belfast, Galway and Dublin, it will take place over an afternoon on January 20th, 2018, and will decide which team will compete for Ireland in the European Quidditch World Cup in Germany in April of next year.
In a press statement, president of Quidditch Ireland, Stefan Scheurer, said that quidditch “has come far in Ireland in this short time”. He stated that “the recent success of our national team has proven on the international scene that we have a lot of talent here in Ireland”, adding that “the tournament will serve as an example for Ireland as a spot for future sporting events”.
The three teams that will visit Trinity to compete on the day are Dublin Draíochta Dragons, Northern Wyverns – a college team affiliated with Queen’s University Belfast – and Galway Grindylows.
Quidditch, adapted from the sport of the same name in the bestselling Harry Potter series, was set up by a group of students in Middlebury College in the US, and is now played in a multitude of countries. A key aspect of the rules of quidditch is that there can only be four members of the same gender on the pitch at once. This is in keeping with the sport’s commitment to inclusivity.
In addition to his role as president of Quidditch Ireland, Scheurer coaches Dublin Draíochta Dragons and the Irish national team. In early October Scheurer told The University Times that the Dragons had hoped for recognition from Dublin University Central Athletic Club (DUCAC), but that his efforts had been hindered by the fact that quidditch is not a recognised sport in Ireland.
Due to a lack of DUCAC recognition, Dublin Draíochta Dragons have been forced to train in public parks across Dublin.
