Header Image (1): Congtributor: Kat72 Closeup of one hockey stick and puck laying on textured ice in black and white Item ID: 576241228 [Internet] Available from: https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/closeup-one-hockey-stick-puck-laying-576241228 [Accessed 22 March 2022]

The Eirball.hockey Archive is part of the Eirball.ie – Irish, North American and World Sports Archives

Featured Picture Credit: Vincent JIANG / Shutterstock (2018) Montreal, Canada – March 18 2018：Junior hokey team parading in the Saint Patrick`s Day in Montreal downtown [Accessed 4 May 2021]

Celtic Ice Hockey Leagues

As well as the Elite Ice Hockey League (England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland – Pro Level 4 (A) in the National Hockey League (North America) system), there are also Celtic or Scottish Leagues which Irish teams have participated in since the 1980s, forming a bridge between the Pro Levels (EIHL) and the purely recreational or amateur Irish Leagues.

In the 1980s and 1990s teams from Castlereagh, based at Dundonald Ice Bowl entered Scottish or Northern English / Scottish Leagues, and then from 2008 to 2010 teams from both Dundonald and Dundalk Ice Bowls entered the Celtic League, which was more evenly distributed between Irish and Scottish sides.