bowling flat green antrim

This ancient game is played along the local roads near Armagh (a version of it can also be seen in Schull, County Cork). A heavy Iron ball, about the size of a cricket ball, is hurled along the lanes and the aim is to reach the end of the winding 4km course in the fewest number of throws. Betting is fierce....

The game is played on a flat grass surface, although in recent years a number of Greens have been laid with a synthetic carpet. The total area is usually 120ft x 120ft and is surrounded by a ditch and bank. The green is divided into lanes called "Rinks" 15ft to 19ft wide, which are marked out by stretching a string along the surface. The object of the game is to deliver a bowl as near as possible to the "Jack", a white ball 2.5 inches apporx. in diameter. At the conclusion of each "End", I,e...