Well done to all who took part in the 60x30 All Ireland Doubles held in Kilkenny clubs, Clogh-Moneenroe and Talbots Inch on Sat 25th May.

The O’Neill brothers, Sean and Mícheál from Templeudigan, proved too strong in the Men’s Senior winning all of their 4 matches in a league format while only dropping 1 game from which was to be their closest challengers, Don Lawlor and James Smith.

In the Men’s intermediate, again 2 brothers – Shane & Ian Brennan from Clogh-Moneenroe clinched the title. But they had to do it the hard way, coming from 2 games down against Gary O’Grady & Allan Ronan in a very tight final.

Templeudigan sisters Grace & Olivia Hearn, working extremely well together in the final, found themselves at match point in the 3rd game against their club mates Niamh Murphy & Ann Boland. Niamh and Ann dug in to eventually clinch that 3rd game. From there Niamh and Ann gathered momentum and eventually closed it out 3-2 in what was the match of the competition. Suzanne Fitzharris and Maggie Walsh took the bronze to bring back the full collection of medals to Templeudigan for the ladies.

Jack Carrol and Shane O Dowd took the Boys U16 title against their Clogh-Moneenroe clubmates Ryan and Josh Lawlor.

​A big shout out to Jack Carroll who has contested 9 finals this season across all 40x20 and 60x30 competitions and finishes the season with both U16 singles and doubles national titles in the 60x30.

 ​AND HERE WE HAVE IT…. Our Racquetball Ireland Player of the Year for 2024.....

Aisling Hickey, hailing from Rossmore in County Tipperary, boasts an impressive 23-year tenure in Racquetball, commencing her journey at the age of 8.
Her dedicated pursuit of excellence has resulted in her remarkable achievement as the sole woman in Ireland to clinch the All Ireland Open Singles title for an astounding 12 consecutive years.

A seasoned competitor, she has represented Ireland in the World Championships on the National team, participating six times—three as a junior and three as a senior.
In the Junior World Championships, Aisling secured a bronze medal in both the 18-and-under singles and doubles categories.
As a senior, she garnered attention by triumphing in the Red Division and securing a commendable 17th place overall in the world rankings.

Beyond global competitions, she showcased her prowess in the European championships twice and at the most recent championships in 2024 she set a new record by taking home 4 gold medals.
She also earned herself some bragging rights when she beat the formidable Noel O’Callaghan in the first round of the Fermoy Open, this year.

​Up until this point Aisling had not lost a Ladies Open Final this season, going as far as to beat the LPRTs number 10 ranked lady in the semi-finals of the Irish Open and taking the number 19 to a very closely contested tie-breaker in the final.
Her extraordinary achievements reflect not only her skill but also her unwavering determination to surpass her own records.

A massive congratulations from all of us in the RAI and our wider Racquetball family to you Aisling, our player of the year for 2024.

This month saw 2 players being selected for player of the Month. Congratulations to Majella and Keelan.

 Introducing our Female player of the Month for April.
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This is the remarkable Majella Haverty, a household name in the racquetball circuit. With a stellar record spanning years, Majella is not only a formidable competitor but also a dedicated coach to the juniors.
Hailing from Castlebar Racquetball Club, she has become synonymous with excellence in the sport.
Majella’s presence in Open finals is a given, and she has garnered significant experience representing Ireland at both Junior and Senior Worlds. 
Adding to her accolades, she recently made history by clinching the singles title at the German Open, becoming only the second Irish woman to achieve this feat. 
Beyond her own achievements, Majella is known for her generosity in coaching aspiring juniors in Castlebar also. 
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Congratulations to Majella for her well-deserved recognition as the Female Player of the Month for April.

 We are delighted to announce to you all….April’s Male Player of the Month, Keelan O’Gorman.

Keelan embodies perseverance and exceptional achievement.
His journey at the All Irelands this year showcased his determination and talent. From earning a spot on the Elite Team to competing in Germany, Keelan exemplified the essence of hard work.
His dedication paid off with his first Open Singles title, making him an All Ireland Champion in a remarkable feat.
Keelan’s notable achievements include competing at Junior Worlds, particularly his success in Costa Rica in 2019 where he earned a Silver Medal in the Boys Under 14 Event alongside Daniel Hanrahan.
With his remarkable track record, Keelan is undoubtedly one to watch, and it’s clear his journey is far from over.
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Congratulations, Keelan

This past weekend at the Kingscourt Open showcased Johnny O'Keeney's return to top form as he clinched both the Open Singles and Open Doubles titles.

In a spectacular performance, O'Keeney secured the Open Singles title by defeating his clubmate Noel O'Callaghan in three straight games. Later, he teamed up with Damien Kavanagh to secure the gold in the Open Doubles, overcoming the duo of Gary Lynch and Ryan McCabe.

In the C/D Singles, Ryan McCabe emerged victorious in a hard-fought final against Billy Nolan. However, Nolan didn't go home empty-handed as he claimed the Novice Singles Title. Thomas Carolan of Kingscourt triumphed in the Novice Plate, outshining his clubmate Stephen in the final. In the C/D Doubles category, Shane Brennan and Jack Carroll of Clogh secured the gold over the Kingscourt pair Pauric Clarke and Stephen Clarke.

The winners in the overage categories were Michael Barnes (40+), Noel O'Callaghan (50+), and Frances Duffy (60+). Jay Barnes claimed the Boys Under 16 title after a closely contested match against Ryan Lawlor, while Conor O'Callaghan won the Under 16 Plate by defeating his brother Daragh O'Callaghan in the final.

It was an excellent event and we would like to congratulate all of the Winners and Runner Ups on their results.

 Full results here.