An Réidhléan
The Field of Games
An Réidhleán — The Field of Games — is a living celebration of Ireland's traditional physical culture. It is a place where ancient games are played rather than merely remembered; where people of every age can lift stones, wrestle, throw, run, laugh, learn, and share stories together. More than a festival attraction, An Réidhleán is an exploration of what these games reveal about who we are, how communities gather, and how play has always been one of humanity's greatest teachers. By preserving, researching, and reimagining these traditions alongside kindred games from cultures around the world, we hope to create something that belongs not only to Ireland's past, but to its future.
More Than a Festival
An Réidhleán lasts for two days each summer, but its purpose extends throughout the year.
Every stone lifted, sling woven, wrestling hold learned and game played is an invitation to continue long after the festival ends. We hope that families begin playing together again; that local groups gather in parks and fields; that forgotten skills are practised, refined and passed from one generation to the next. When people return the following year, they do so not simply as spectators, but stronger, more skilled, more confident, and ready to teach others.
In this way, An Réidhleán becomes more than an event. It becomes a cycle of practice, community and renewal.
This is how a culture grows—not by preserving it behind glass, but by putting it back into people's hands.
Why Play Matters
Every culture has its games.
Long before sport became organised and entertainment became something we watched, people gathered to test themselves, celebrate one another, solve problems, tell stories and strengthen community through play. The games were never just games. They taught resilience, courage, cooperation, creativity and joy. They gave each generation a way to inherit the strengths of the last.
Many of those traditions have faded. Not because they lost their value, but because the world around them changed.
An Réidhleán is part of a growing movement to bring that inheritance back into everyday life.
We believe that when people play together, age matters less than curiosity. Competition becomes connection. Strangers become neighbours. Skills are shared freely, stories emerge naturally, and a deeper sense of belonging begins to grow.
Play is one of humanity's oldest common languages. It asks nothing more than that we step into the field together.
Beyond the Field.
We want to expand our mission.
We want to research Ireland's traditional games further before they disappear, documenting their physical, psychological, and social value.
We are building relationships with communities around the world who have preserved their own traditions of play.
We are exploring how these practices can strengthen modern communities.
We hope that An Réidhleán becomes not simply an annual gathering, but a living centre for the study, sharing and celebration of humanity's play traditions.
Where is this all going?
We believe Ireland can once again become a nation that plays together.
We envision communities with their own Fields of Games; schools rediscovering traditional play; researchers documenting endangered traditions before they disappear; and an annual gathering where people from Ireland and cultures across the world meet to share the games that shaped them.
We hope An Réidhleán will grow into a place where movement, craft, music, poetry, storytelling and friendly contest come together in celebration of what it means to be human. And lives long after we’ve passed on, for generations to come
Help Build A Future Of Play
Your support allows us to:
Research and document Ireland's traditional games.
Learn from traditional play cultures around the world.
Create educational resources and films.
Expand An Réidhleán each year with new games, workshops and experiences.
Keep participation as open and accessible as possible.
Lay the foundations for a permanent home for The Field of Games.
We're not asking you to sponsor a festival.
We're inviting you to help establish
a lasting piece of Irish cultural infrastructure.
An Réidhleán has already begun.
What started as a simple field of traditional games has become a gathering place where children, adults and elders play side by side; where forgotten skills are rediscovered; where stories are shared as readily as techniques; and where visitors from other traditions have begun to contribute their own games, knowledge and friendship.
Each year we hope to welcome more people, uncover more of Ireland's physical heritage, build stronger relationships with traditional play communities across the world, and create new opportunities for research, education and participation.
Every festival is another step towards something much larger than itself.
If what you've read resonates with you, we'd love to hear from you.
Whether you're an individual who wishes to donate, a business interested in sponsorship, a researcher, a cultural organisation, a keeper of traditional games, or simply someone who believes people should play together more often—you are welcome.
Together we can preserve what is worth keeping, rediscover what has been forgotten, and create something that future generations will inherit not as history, but as living culture.
Become a Partner
An Réidhleán is built through collaboration. Whether you're an individual, a local business, or a larger organisation, your support helps preserve Ireland's traditional games, expand research into the culture of play, and create an event that continues to inspire people long after the festival has ended.
How You Can Support
Sponsor An Réidhleán as a business or organisation.
Make a financial contribution to support research, education and future events.
Donate equipment, services or expertise.
Introduce us to potential partners or supporters.
Share knowledge of traditional games and cultural practices from Ireland or around the world.
What You'll Be Supporting
The preservation of traditional games and physical culture.
Research into the physical, psychological and social value of play.
International collaboration with other traditional play cultures.
Educational resources, films and public engagement.
The continued growth of An Réidhleán and the long-term vision of a permanent Field of Games.
What You'll Receive
Recognition as a founding supporter of a growing cultural initiative.
Association with a project centred on heritage, community, wellbeing and education.
Opportunities for brand visibility at the festival and across our digital platforms.
The satisfaction of helping create something that will serve communities for generations to come.
If this vision resonates with you, we'd love to begin a conversation.