Boys National Festival Showcases Talent Across the Provinces
May 25, 2026
It must mean the Junior and Leaving Cert exams are getting closer, as the sun and heat made a welcome appearance at Rathdown School on Sunday for our Boys National Festival.
Over 180 players from Leinster, Munster and Ulster travelled to Rathdown School in glorious conditions for another standout day of development hockey, competing in a series of matches across a packed schedule of fixtures.
Leinster had three teams competing throughout the day, with each side representing their district — Dublin City, Dún Laoghaire Rathdown and South County. Ulster also fielded three teams, while Munster had two teams taking part in the festival.
Across both pitches, matches ran from 10:30am through to 4:00pm in a full day of hockey. There was some brilliant action throughout, with players showcasing a very high standard of skill and teamwork, highlighting the continued growth and development taking place across the provinces.
Just as impressive was the atmosphere off the pitch, with players from different provinces creating new friendships and enjoying plenty of memorable moments across the day.
It was another fantastic National Festival, and a huge thank you must go to the wonderful group of staff and volunteers who helped organise and support the event throughout the day. We would also like to thank Munster and Ulster for their support and participation, alongside all the fantastic players who took part in the festival.
The atmosphere around the grounds was excellent throughout, and a huge thank you also goes to all parents, family members, friends and supporters who came along and helped create such a positive occasion.
As always, a massive thank you to AerCap, whose continued support of the programme allows us to continue developing events like these and strengthening the wider development pathway across Leinster Hockey.
What a brilliant weekend of hockey at Rathdown School, as the return of the U21 Interprovincial fixt..