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AIRC

About Us

We are the governing body of riding clubs in Ireland. Membership is open to those aged 17 & over and each club belongs to one of eight regions within the Association.

Our History

During the early seventies, the riding club movement in Ireland grew steadily.

In 1973, sixteen clubs grouped together to form the Association of Irish Riding Clubs. They included Ait Aoibhinn (Co Cork), Ards (Co Down), Ashbank (Co Down), Bann Valley (Co Derry), Ballyteigue (Co Limerick), Bord Failte (Dublin), Bord na gCapall (Dublin), Capall (Co Down), Castle Howard (Co Wicklow), Cork (Co Cork), Foxborough (Co Wicklow), Galway (Co Galway), Waterford (Co Waterford), Meath (Co Meath), South Wexford (Co Wexford) and Warrenpoint & District (Co Down).

The Association held its first meeting in Portlaoise under the chairmanship of Eddie Fowler with Helen Mangan as Administrator.

Efi Eddie Folwer
team

Membership

Since then, the membership of the Association has grown steadily to the present day 125 affiliated clubs, 8 regions and almost 3,500 members nationwide.

The number of activities has also increased with championships held annually for individual and team show jumping, individual and team dressage, hunter trails, and horse trails. Events are also held occasionally for Trec and Cross Jump.

The Association also holds Irelands biggest equestrian amateur event, the Riding Clubs Festival. This two-day event features up to 70 competitions and has attracted entries in excess of 2,500. Competitions are held in show jumping, dressage, showing and working hunter. The event is designed to cater for everyone as no qualification is nece

National Chairpersons

Term Title Name
1973 – 1984 Mr Eddie Fowler
1985 – 1996 Mr Carl Fowler
1997 – 2002 Mr Peter Roberts
2003 – 2024 Mr Tony Ennis

Honorary Presidents

Term Title Name
1984 Mrs Dan Lanigan O’Keeffe
1985 – 1986 Mrs Pam Gillespie
1987 – 1997 Mr Eddie Fowler
1998 – 1999 Mr Carl Geisler
1999 – 2003 Mr Jim Collins
2004 Mr Peter Roberts
2005 – 2018 Mrs Helen Mangan
2019 – Present Mr Leo Powell