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Ireland national field hockey team represents Ireland at men's international field hockey. It is organised by the Irish Hockey Association. Usually the team represents the entire island of Ireland and plays under a special flag. The exception is Olympic hockey, where the team represents only the Republic of Ireland and plays under the Irish tricolour.[1] Prior to the IHA's formation in 2000, the team was organised by the Irish Hockey Union (IHU).[2]
Ireland has qualified for the Hockey World Cup twice, finishing 12th in 1978 and 1990.
South African Paul Revington is the current coach, he succeeded David Passmore in November 2008.[3] He appointed his first panel in December 2008 and officially took up the post in January 2009.[4]
At the 1908 Olympic tournament in London, the Ireland team won silver medals, losing the final to England. The teams were two of four from the Home Nations of what was then the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and their medals are credited to Great Britain. Since 1920, the United Kingdom has fielded a single Great Britain team at the Olympics.
Until 1988, the Olympic hockey tournament was by invitation only and, since the establishment of the Olympic Council of Ireland in 1922, no Irish team was invited.[1] Players from Northern Ireland have participated on the Great Britain team, which plays only in the Olympics;[1] otherwise, England, Scotland and Wales play separately. The IHU entered the qualifying round of the 1992 tournament, in spite of opposition from many of its Northern Irish officials.[1]
Ireland has never qualified for the Olympic tournament. It missed out on the 2008 Olympics after losing on goal difference to Argentina and New Zealand at a qualifying event held in New Zealand. The team then lost the third-place play-off game against France.[5]
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