Australian Rules Football League of Ireland
| Sport | Australian rules football |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2001 |
| No. of teams | 6 |
| Country | Ireland |
| Most recent champion(s) |
South Dublin Swans |
| Most titles | South Dublin Swans (5 premierships) |
| Sponsor(s) | Jeep |
| Official website | arfli.com |
The Australian Rules Football League of Ireland (ARFLI) is an Australian rules football competition and is the governing body of Australian Football in Ireland. Ireland is ranked the number one country in Australian football outside of Australia despite having a smaller league than some of its competitors. Ireland has been a competitor and finalist in all AFL International Cups and a winner twice. The success of the Irish team has commonly been attributed to the ease at which Gaelic footballers adapt to the Australian football because of certain similarities between the two codes.
The league is an international affiliate of the Australian Football League and a founding member of the European governing body, AFL Europe. The league is not affiliated with the Gaelic Athletic Association or the International Rules Series.
Leeside Lions AFL Team are hoping to move to their new 75,000 all seater stadium near Ballinderry Park, Mayfeild. Local business man and former TD Noel O'Fylnn is paying for it himself
The ARFLI was formed in October 2000 after the first ever Irish Grand Final was contested between Dublin Demons and Belfast Redbacks. Aussie Rules had arrived in Ireland almost exactly a year previously when Aussie Rules clubs were simultaneously formed in Dublin and Belfast. The two clubs recruited and trained through the winter and played a number of British clubs in challenge matches in early spring.
The Demons then travelled to London in April 2000, where they took part in the FSS Cup - BARFL’s (British Australian Rules Football League) pre-season competition. The Dublin lads finished third out of twelve teams in their first real competitive games and people sat up and took notice that Aussie Rules had arrived in the Emerald Isle. The Demons and Redbacks then played out a best of three series that culminated in the previously mentioned Grand Final with the Demons being crowned Irelands first Aussie Rules Champions.
After this game, Michael Currane (originally from Kilmihil in West Clare), ARFLI Chief Executive Officer, and Ciaran O hEeadhra from the Gaeilteacht area of Mayo, who had both been actively involved with the Dublin club from the start, decided that it was time to take the sport of Aussie Rules on a step in Ireland, and working in close collaboration with the existing clubs in Dublin and Belfast, set up the Australian Rules Football League of Ireland. They wanted to see the game develop and saw the huge potential for the sport to be a success due to the obvious similarities with Gaelic football.
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