// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did the Harp Bowl say? I'm a little "off-key" today.
| Sport | American football |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Playoff champion of American Football Ireland (AFI) Division 1 |
| Country | Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland |
| History | |
| First award | 2014 |
| First winner | University College Dublin |
| Most wins | Craigavon Cowboys, Louth Mavericks (2) |
| Most recent | South Dublin Panthers (1st) |
The Harp Bowl is the championship game of Division 1 of American Football Ireland (AFI), the second tier of AFI competition under the Premier Division. The winner of the Harp Bowl is promoted to the Premier Division in the following season, replacing the team at the bottom of the Premier Division standings. The Harp Bowl represents the culmination of Division 1's regular season, in which the top four teams advance to a playoff bracket whose finalists meet in the Harp Bowl.[1]
The Harp Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, similar to the Super Bowl and the Premier Division's Shamrock Bowl. The reigning champions are the South Dublin Panthers, who beat the Northwest Vipers 60–6 at Dubarry Park to win Harp Bowl XI on 18 July 2026.[2]
History
[edit]The Harp Bowl competition was previously known as the IAFL1 Bowl from 2014–2021 (including a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic) and the Division 1 Bowl in 2022–23, and was reintroduced as the Harp Bowl in 2024, with Roman numeral nomenclature retroactively applied to previous Division 1 titles.[3]
Results
[edit]| No. | Year | Date | Winner | Result | Runner-up | Venue | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | 2014 | UCD American Football | 40–0 | Cork Admirals | [4] | ||
| II | 2015 | Waterford Wolves | 13–12 | Cork Admirals | [4] | ||
| III | 2016 | Cork Admirals | 38–7 | Belfast Trojans 2nds | [4] | ||
| IV | 2017 | 20 July 2017 | Louth Mavericks | 23–18 | Craigavon Cowboys | [4] | |
| V | 2018 | 12 August 2018 | West Dublin Rhinos | 16–14 | Craigavon Cowboys | Gorey Celtic FC, Gorey, Co. Wexford | [4][5] |
| VI | 2019 | 28 July 2019 | Craigavon Cowboys | 28–27 | Westmeath Minotaurs | Navan RFC | [4][6] |
| N/a | 2020 | not played | |||||
| N/a | 2021 | not played | |||||
| VII | 2022 | Westmeath Minotaurs | 16–13 | UL Vikings | [7] | ||
| VIII | 2023 | 9 July 2023 | UL Vikings | 6–2 | Louth Mavericks | Garryowen RFC, Limerick | [8] |
| IX | 2024 | 27 July 2024 | Craigavon Cowboys | 35–0 | West Dublin Rhinos | Dubarry Park, Athlone | [9][10] |
| X | 2025 | 19 July 2025 | Louth Mavericks | 44–0 | Westmeath Minotaurs | Dubarry Park, Athlone | [11] |
| XI | 2026 | 18 July 2026 | South Dublin Panthers | 60–6 | Northwest Vipers | Dubarry Park, Athlone | [12] |
Appearances by team
[edit]| Appearances | Team[note 1] | Winners | Runner-up | Season(s)[note 2] | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Craigavon Cowboys | 2 | 2 | 2017, 2018, 2019, 2024 | [4][10] |
| 3 | Louth Mavericks | 2 | 1 | 2017, 2023, 2025 | [4][8][11] |
| 3 | Cork Admirals | 1 | 2 | 2014, 2015, 2016 | [4] |
| 3 | Westmeath Minotaurs | 1 | 2 | 2019, 2022, 2025 | [4][7][11] |
| 2 | UL Vikings | 1 | 1 | 2022, 2023 | [7][8] |
| 2 | West Dublin Rhinos | 1 | 1 | 2018, 2024 | [4][10] |
| 1 | University College Dublin | 1 | 0 | 2014 | [4] |
| 1 | Waterford Wolves | 1 | 0 | 2015 | [4] |
| 1 | South Dublin Panthers | 1 | 0 | 2026 | [12] |
| 1 | Northwest Vipers | 0 | 1 | 2026 | [12] |
| 1 | Belfast Trojans 2nds | 0 | 1 | 2016 | [4] |
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "2025 AFI Season Preview". Gaelic Gridiron. 2025-02-19. Retrieved 2026-07-25.
- ↑ "The South Dublin Panthers are Harp Bowl XI Champions!". American Football Ireland. 2026-07-18. Retrieved 2026-07-25.
- ↑ "2025 AFI Season Preview". Gaelic Gridiron. 2025-02-19. Retrieved 2026-07-25.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "American Football Ireland 1 Bowls 2014-Present". Eirball.ie. Retrieved 2026-07-25.
- ↑ "IAFL 1 Bowl: Fans Guide". Craigavon Cowboys AFC. 2018-08-10. Retrieved 2026-07-25.
- ↑ "Cowboys Are IAFL 1 Bowl Champions!". Craigavon Cowboys AFC. 2019-07-30. Retrieved 2026-07-25.
- 1 2 3 "Irish American Football". Eirball.ie. Retrieved 2026-07-25.
- 1 2 3 "UL Vikings return to the top tier of Irish American Football division with perfect season". University of Limerick. 2023-07-28. Retrieved 2026-07-25.
- ↑ "American football action coming to Athlone this month". Westmeath Independent. 2024-07-17. Retrieved 2026-07-25.
- 1 2 3 English, Jimmy (2024-07-28). "Cowboys & UCD Claim National Championship Titles". Gaelic Gridiron. Retrieved 2026-07-25.
- 1 2 3 "Minotaurs fall in Harp Bowl X, 0-44". Westmeath Minotaurs. 2025-07-19. Retrieved 2026-07-25.
- 1 2 3 "North West Vipers suffer defeat in Harp Bowl final". Highland Radio. 2026-07-18. Retrieved 2026-07-25.