I’ve only had a few practice shots so far, it’s been charging all evening. Should give it a good test over the next few days.

Where to play airsoft
There’s literally millions, well maybe 20, places around Ireland where you can do it. The best way to find sites/clubs to contact the Irish Airsoft Association for sites down south or Airsoft Ireland for sites up north.
You can also check this map to see where other airsofters are located and take a look at the airsoft section on boards.ie.

Unfortunately many of the sites/clubs don’t have websites but some that do include S.A.C Longford, Meath Airsoft Group (Bebo), HRTA Dublin, G-Tac Galway and Airsoft Carlow.

What you need
1. Cash. At any of the “skirmish sites” you can rent all you need. For an example of pricing check out the Drogheda site’s pricing.

2. Equipment: you can buy all you need from airsoft retailers for AEG’s or army surplus stores for equipment. The minimum you would need is an AEG (gun), face mask or goggles, some bb’s (ammo) and protective clothing.
There are plenty of extras you can buy but wouldn’t need initially.

Retailers
I’d recommend buying your AEG’s off Irish retailers because most guns need to be downgraded to comply with Irish laws.
These would be the main Irish retailers (though there are a few others):

Airsofteire.com – seem to stock the high end expensive stuff but they offer a great service with excellent helpful communication.

Eirsoft.ie – offers a great range of low and high end AEG’s and decent enough prices. Communication is quite poor though.

Mainirishairsoft.com – not as good a range but some nice items; also high end stuff.

I’ve just bought a small item off Airsoftscotland.com who have a nice range of airsoft related equipment, shipping can be expensive though.

There are a ton of other retailers out there of course, including ebay, a quick Google search will find you tons; just be cautious about importing AEG’s from abroad.

Types of games
Some good information of types of games here.

That’ll get you started. Will try to post more information as I discover it.

In airsoft you shoot 6mm hard plastic balls with guns that look and feel like the real thing. The only similarity to paintball is the type of games you play i.e. capture the flag, defend the fort, hostage rescue, run around the round bales, run around square bales and a few rusty barrels etc etc.

I should clarify, I haven’t quite started just yet. I have my first gun (AEG = airsoft electric (runs on a rechargeable battery) gun) on order and am expecting it to arrive in the coming week or so; it’s a Heckler & Goch G36C with a cool red dot sight. Voilá (without the sight):

I’m really looking forward to getting started the only problem is that if it’s as addictive as I imagine I’ll be forced to invest in extra guns and combat gear etc. The Americans seem to take it very seriously and buy all the latest and greatest equipment available including some guns which can cost up to US$4000!!
There’s no fear of me spending that much money on what is essentially a toy gun! The missus would use it on me!

It looks like a great sport and is one of the fastest growing sports in Europe. It’s actually only been legal in Ireland a short while and seems to be really taking off. The first “All-Ireland” is currently being organised for April.

For more information to satisfy your curiousity brúigh ar na nascanna thíos (click the links)!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airsoft
Irish Airsoft Associaiton
Airsoft Ireland (NI based site)

EDIT: This is next on my shopping list, the Steyr Aug A1.

Why can’t an Irish citizen born in the North play for their national team?
Was Maik Taylor (NI keeper) born in Northern Ireland? Actually, what link does he have with Northern Ireland anyway? He was born in Germany, his mother is German and father is English! The IFA being fucking hypocrits in my opinion.

Give the players some respect, if they choose to play for their national team be it NI or ROI respect their decision and leave well enough alone. You shouldn’t deny players the chance to play for their national team which is what will happen if the IFA manage to reverse this proposal.

Since the IFA isn’t happy with it perhaps they should tackle it another way, by encouraging lads to turn out for the North rather than denying them the chance to play for the Republic.

Do not hire Terry Venables as ROI manager!

We’re sick of chancers and second rate managers! The Irish fans deserve a proper manager.
You only need to look at Terry Venables CV to tell that he is not a good manager.
- He was sacked from Barcelona
- he was sacked as chief executive with Spurs
- he was hired only as “coach” of England and had to leave the job in ’96 because of his dodgy business dealings
- he was with Portsmouth only 11 months and when he left they were bottom of Division 1
- he was with Palace less than a year as the club went into administration
- he was with Boro for just over a year and in fairness probably helped them avoid relegation
- he was sacked from Leeds with the club heading towards relegation
- and now he has been sacked as England assistant manager

He may have international experience, he may have managed some of the biggest clubs in Europe but he sucks as a manager. Just ask any Leeds United fans!

Edit:
p.s. Roy Hodgson’s contract with Finland expires at the end of the month. Ahem!

It’s a sad state of affairs really. What has happened to soccer on these islands at all?
While the Scots and NI played quite well throughout the qualification round they just weren’t good enough at the end of the day. Wales are sadly just shite, sorry Rhys. In the case of Ireland (ROI) and England I believe there is little excuse for not qualifying. England certainly have good enough players to create a strong team and in Ireland’s case while our players are hardly world beaters we had a very easy group with only 1 decent team (the Krauts) to compete against so failure to qualify from our group is inexcusable!

It’s difficult to know what needs to happen to turn things around. Without talented soccer players it will always be difficult but at the present time our biggest problems seems to be with management and with the tired old attitude of “ah but sure we’re a small country …”.
Steve McClaren and Terry Venebles are now available but I really hope to fuck that John Giles (who has been given the task of interviewing prospective ROI team managers) & team come up with a good solution this time after the failure of the last 3 management choices!

This summer it looks like I’ll be supporting Antonio’s team but the tournament will hold little interest for me as none of the 5 teams (6 if you include Finland) I would normally lend my support to will be at the tournament other than as spectators.

I’m beginning to think we should be focussing on other easier sports!

There are two things I am really hoping for on Saturday. The first is that Ireland give England that thrashing of their lives, that England walk away bruised and battered after an almighty thumping by the men in green. Not only should they go home with crushed pride, cuts, bruises, stretched sinews, torn ligaments and even broken bones, they should go home with a feeling of ‘what the fuck just happened’ after been physically battered on the field and aurally battered by 80,000 crazed Irish men and women surrounding the pitch in Croke Park.

The second thing I am hoping for is what when England step onto the field that the English team and their national anthem gets treated with respect. They are our nearest neighbours and friends and let’s be honest they’re a decent aul bunch. Let us remember that some of our own team are British, some of our own team sing God Save the Queen with as much pride and passion as their team mates sing Amhrán na bhFiann (those who know the words that is). So to denigrate the English and their national anthem is not only an insult to our closest neighbours it is an insult to some of our own on the field and in the stands who will be wearing green on Saturday. The whole reason they brought out Ireland’s Call was out of respect for our British compatriots, so that the rugby following people of both British and Irish traditions on this island would have a common anthem to sing. It doesn’t mean they have given up on their own anthem. When God Save the Queen rings out this weekend remember it’s the anthem of some of our own, so threat it with the respect you’d treat Amhrán na bhFiann.

So I say welcome the English team to Croker, cheer them onto the field, stand silently for their national anthem and when the whistle blows beat the livin’ shite out of them!!! C’MON IRELAND!!!!!!!!!

Edit: Ireland 43-13 England

Simply magnificent!

Violence
Despite promises to cut down on the violence after lasts year’s shame the AFL/GAA brought in new rules to punish players. Two problems with this; firstly it made for a limp game in Galway as it seems players were struggling with the concept that you can tackle someone without bursting them; secondly when there was violence as in today’s first quarter the referees seemed to forget the rules so no one was punished. How many years have the GAA/AFL being organising these games yet haven’t been able to create a game without violence? Will they ever get the formula right? I’m beginning to doubt they will.

And let us not forget that some of today’s thugs were Irish. Violence has long been part of Gaelic football. Until the GAA is able to weed out the violence in their own game I don’t think they have the ability, even with the help of the AFL, to weed it out of International Rules.

Whinging
Jesus H Christ but the GAA are serious fucking whingers. How many times have we seen fights in Gaelic football games? Too many to mention. Bullying and intimidation by elbowing, poking, shoving or punching have long been a part of Gaelic games at every level and the GAA have ignored it. On many occasions it has led to all out brawls on the field and the GAA have ignored it. So the Aussies throw a few slaps and the GAA starts crying about rough tactics, somehow forgetting the tackles of O’Mahoney and Ryan not to mention Geraghty (who’s a rough cunt anyway) who was reported for rough play after the opening Test.
While The GAA continue to ignore the violence in Gaelic Football they have little right to whinge about it in the International Rules series, especially when its own players are throwing head-butts.

Mis-match
Are Gaelic Football & Aussie Rules even compatible any more?
The commentary team today made a very good point about how Gaelic Football has changed over the years. It’s much more of a short passing game now and maybe that showed today. Is there less emphasis now on kicking or on being good with both feet? Perhaps that’s true though I’m not sure that explains the Aussie’s superiority today.
The big difference for me between the two codes is in off the ball movement and support play. I watch Aussie rules the odd time and it always seemed to be to be a far more flexible game than Gaelic football with better player movement. Perhaps that has simply to do with the shape of the pitch, our rectangular pitch leading to more structured style of play? That’d be my guess anyway.

Although I love the concept of the International Rules series I’m really starting to think it will never be possible to achieve the goal of finding the magic formula which merges two great games to create the compromise exhibition so many people crave. The game today was absolute shite, we had dirty play, fighting, an awful and embarrassing performance from the Irish team, no atmosphere worth talking about in Croke Park and even less in my living room and a whole lot of hypocritical whinging from the GAA. Time to consign the International Rules series to the history books in my opinion. We tried it, it didn’t work. Let’s concentrate on our own game and try to clean up Gaelic Football.

From the AFL ‘s review of today’s game:

“And for all the cynics out there about this series – all you need to do is come to a Croke Park Test match and your view will be changed forever.”

Considering so many people were leaving Croke Part before the final quarter i’d say today’s game changed quite a few minds forever.

Edit: The ranking change was also mentioned by Slugger where one of the sluggerettes posted about the World Football ELO Ratings which attempt to give a more accurate ranking list.