Below you will find links to the Results & Tables of the Irish American Football League since its first year in 1986, in increasing levels of detail, depending on how much detail you want:
- Bowls (Results of Finals);
- Final Standings & Playoff Results (Decade/Era Overviews);
- Season-by-Season Results;
- Season-by-Season Box-Scores & Match Reports (Scorers and reports for each match each year):
The Irish American Football League has been running since 1986 when the first Shamrock Bowl was played. For the first three seasons the League operated in Ireland only, and then in 1989 became part of the Combined Gridiron League which operated throughout Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales. In 1990 the League returned to an Ireland-only league, but only in Northern Ireland, with the sole Republic of Ireland representatives, the Dublin Celts, playing in the UK Second Division (NCMMA) and playing a series of exhibition matches against the Northern Irish teams. Following on from the Irish League Final, the Champions of the Irish League played against the Dublin Celts in the Shamrock Bowl. In 1991 an All-Ireland American Football League was re-established, under the American Football association of Ireland banner, which became the Irish Senior League in 1997, under new management. This was a time when the initial excitement for the new sport faded, and the NFL was no longer on terrestrial TV in Ireland or Britain, and the number of teams dropped to 3 in 1999, and then in 2000 there was no league.
In 2001, a new administration – the Irish American Football Association – re-established the Irish American Football League, as a Winter League in 2001, and a Spring League in 2002, and then in 2003 as ‘Division 1’ with an 8-Man Division 2. Divisions 1 & 2 were merged into one 11-Man, 6-team IAFL in 2004, and the League expanded to 11 teams by 2008, when a new 8-Man Development League was again re-introduced, to help newer teams starting out, and help existing clubs field second teams. the Development League became a full 11-Man Second Level in 2013, with the two tiers renamed the Shamrock Bowl Conference & IAFL 1 Conference. A third Tier, the IAFL 2 Conference was introduced in 2014, leading to a 23-team League at its height.
In 2020 the Irish American Football Association was renamed American Football Ireland, under new management, President Orla McAleese, the first Female President of the Association.
Irish American Football League Bowls
The Results of the Finals of the three levels in the Irish American Football League (11 v 11):
American Football Ireland Shamrock Bowls 1986-Present
American Football Ireland 1 Bowls 2014-Present
American Football Ireland 2 Bowls 2014-Present
Irish American Football League (Decade/Era Overviews)
Final Standings and playoff matches at a glance over a decade or era span:
Irish American Football League Shamrock Bowl Conference 2013-2019
Irish American Football Association Irish American Football League 2006-2012
Irish American Football League Winter and Spring League Era 1997-2005
All-Ireland American Football League 1990-1996
Irish American Football League 1983-1989
Irish American Football League Tiers 2 & 3 (Decade / Era Overviews):
Irish American Football League | 1 Conference 2013-2019
Irish American Football League | 2 Conference 2014-2019
Irish American Football League Level 1 (Season Results & Tables):
The Results & Final Tables only of the Irish League from 1986 to present on a season-by-season basis with a short season report.
AFI Premier Division (2020-Present): 2020
IAFA/IAFL Shamrock Bowl Conference (2013-2019): 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013
IAFA Irish American Football League (2006-2012): 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006
Autumn and Spring League Era (1998-2005): 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 1999 1998
AFAI All-Ireland AFL (1991-1997): 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991
Irish League and Conference Era (1984-1990): 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985-86 1984
Irish American Football League Level 2 (Season Results & Tables):
AFI Division 1 (2020-Present): 2020
IAFA / IAFL 1 Conference (2013-2019): 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013
Irish American Football League Level 3 (Season Results & Tables):
AFI Division 2 (2020-Present): 2020
IAFA / IAFL 2 Conference (2014-2019): 2019 2017 2016 2015 2014
Irish American Football League (Box-Scores & Match Reports)
Detailed information on each match, including scorers, venue & match reports:
IAFA Spring & Autumn League Era (Box-Scores & Match Reports): 2004 2003 2002 2001
AFAI Irish Senior League (Box-Scores & Match Reports): 1999
AFAI All-Ireland American Football League (Box-Scores & Match Reports): 1995 1992
IAFL Irish American Football League Early Era (Box-Scores & Match Reports): 1986
Pre-American Football Ireland Competitions
Starting with the US Army’s European Theater of Operations Football Championship in Northern Ireland in 1942, through to the 4th of July Festival match in 1983, held in Banbridge Rugby Club between two teams of specially trained Rugby players, American Football Leagues in Ireland pre-date the American Football Ireland (Originally Irish American Football Association) by 52 years.
Early Pre-Pads Football Matches (Seasons): NIAFA 1986 1985 1983
ETO European Theater of Operations Football Championship (Seasons): 1944 Autumn 1942
Other American Football Ireland
American Football Ireland Intervarsity Championships
The Jordanstown Jaguars, based in Ulster University Jordanstown played in the first full season of the Irish American Football League in 1987. The Trinity Bowl, played from 1992-1995, was the first competition played in Irish Universities, although it did not involve College teams. The Irish Collegiate American Football Association was formed in 1993, and played a Flag Football Summer Bowl over the Summer Holidays, involving both College Students and non-College Students. From 1998 to 1999 the Queen’s University Belfast Broncos competed in the AFAI Irish Senior League, and in 1999 the University of Limerick Vikings were formed, initially as a Flag Football team, and then from 2001 onwards as a fully kitted team playing uin the resurrected IAFL. The First Kitted College Bowl was played in 2006, when there was more than one kitted College team for the first time, namely the University of Limerick Vikings and Dublin City University Saints. The College Championship became a three-team tournament involving the Trinity College Dublin Thunderbolts and the University College Dublin Sentinels in 2010 (DCU were no longer fielding a team).
College Bowl / Intervarsity Championship
American Football Ireland Intervarsity Championship 2006-Present
IAFA College Championship (Seasons:): 2018 2017 2014 2013
CUSAI American Football College Bowl (Seasons): 2010 2009 2007 2006
Competitions:
American Football Association of Ireland | Trinity Bowl 1992-1995
Festivals & Exhibitions:
Festivals and Exhibition matches have been organised since 1983, with teams playing in smaller towns in the Irish Regions, or as part of 4th of July Celebrations in both Dublin and all over the Country. Some of these festival matches have attracted up to 5,000 spectators.
Festival matches also take part in preseason, and can also be Regular Season matches or DV8 8-a-side matches.
Irish American Football League Festivals & Exhibition Matches 1986-Present
Irish American Football Association Marcel Seeley Memorial Cup 2016-2019
Irish American Football Association Dingle Classic (Gaeltacht Bowl) 2009-2011
American Football Association of Ireland | Trinity Bowl 1992-1995
Irish American Football League Summer Bowl Festival 1986-1989
IAFA /IAFL Shamrock Bowl Conference Era Festivals & Exhibitions (Seasons): 2019 2018 2016
IAFA Festivals (Seasons): 2012 2011 2009
IAFA DV8 Festivals & Exhibitions (Seasons): 2008
AFAI All-Ireland American Football League Festivals & Exhibitions (Seasons): 1992
IAFA Irish American Football League Festivals & Exhibitions (Seasons): 1989 1988 1987 1986
Irish American Football League Preseasons:
Preseason, like in the National Football League is an important part of player development. The Irish American Football League generally plays a two-game preason in preparation for the 8-game regular season.
American Football Ireland Preseason Friendlies (seasons): 2020
IAFA / IAFL Shamrock Bowl Conference Era Preseason Friendlies (Season): 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014
IAFA Irish American Football League Preseason Friendlies: 2011 2010
IAFA / IAFL Spring & Autumn Era Preseason Friendlies (seasons): 2004-05 2004 2003 2001
AFAI All-Ireland American Football League Pre-Season Friendlies: 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991
IAFA Irish American Football League Pre-Season Friendlies: 1990 1989 1987 1986
Preseason Box-Scores & Match Reports
Irish American Football League Preseason Friendlies (Box-Score & Match Reports): 1989 1986
All-Star Games
All Star Games have been a integral part of Irish American Football since the beginning, as in the National Football League.
Irish American Football League All-Star Games 1986-Present
Regional Development Leagues
Irish Council of American Football League of Ireland (Seasons): 1989
Irish American Football Season Overviews
Final Tables and International Results in Irish American Football & Flag Football Organised on a Season-by-Season Basis:
IAFA Super League Era (2000-2006): 2004-05 2003-04 2002-03 2001-02 2000-01
AFAI Era (1990-2000): 1999-2000 1998-99
Image References
[1] Irish American Football (2016) IAFA Logo [Internet] Available from: http://www.luckyshow.org/football/pics/IAFA.jpg [Accessed 5 June 2017]
[2] Irish American Football Association (2003) IAFL Logo [Internet] Available from: http://americanfootball.ie/iafl/images/logo.gif [Accessed 11 December 2017]
[3] Irish American Football Association (2010) IAFA Logo [Internet] Available from: http://www.americanfootball.ie/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/IAFA.jpg [Accessed 1 May 2017]
[4] Irish American Football Association (2019) IAFA Logo [Internet] Available from: https://www.americanfootball.ie/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/IAFA-Logo-400.png [Accessed 7 April 2019]
[5] American Football Ireland (2020) AFI Premier Division 2020 (Revised Schedule) [Internet] Available from: https://www.americanfootball.ie/calendar/afipremdiv-2020/ [Accessed 22 March 2020]
[6] Eirball Facebook (2020) Photo, 6 June 2020: “Poster of Irish American Football Teams Colours 1985-1999. Given to me by Cillian Smith (IAFL Commissioner) around 1999.” [Internet] Available from: https://www.facebook.com/2226857640959926/photos/a.2235377026774654/2492486431063711/?type=3&theater [Accessed 6 June 2020][Cropped]