National Camogie League

National Camogie League
Current season or competition:
2024 National Camogie League
IrishSraith Náisiúnta Camógaíochta
Founded1976–1977; 47 years ago (1977)
RegionIreland (GAA)
TrophyAIB Cup
No. of teams36 (2024; includes several junior teams)
Title holdersTipperary (3rd title)
Most titlesCork (16 titles)
SponsorsVery Ireland
TV partner(s)TG4 and RTÉ Two
MottoStyle of Play
Official websitehttps://camogie.ie/fixtures-results/very-ireland-camogie-leagues/

The National Camogie League,[1] known for sponsorship reasons as the Very Camogie Leagues,[2] is a competition in the Irish team sport of camogie, played exclusively by women. The competition is held in three divisions graded by ability. It was first played in 1976 for a trophy donated by Allied Irish Banks when Tipperary beat Wexford in a replayed final. Division Two (originally the National Junior League) was inaugurated in 1979 and won by Kildare.[3]

The first two National League competitions started in the autumn and finished in the spring of 1976–77 and 1977–78 respectively. Since then the competition has been completed within the calendar year. The 2001 final was not played until October because of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak earlier in the year. From 1980 to 2005 the National League was divided into two sections – Senior and Junior. Reserve teams from the leading counties were allowed enter the Junior League after 1982. The current structure with Divisions 1, 2, 3, 4 was introduced in 2006. A one-day blitz competition for fifth tier counties, Division 5, was organised in 2008 and 2009. The second division was known for a period as Division 1B and the third Division was Division 2, they have been reallocated for reasons of consistency in the records below.

The current holders are Tipperary who defeated Galway in the 2024 final.

  1. ^ Pádraig Puirséil: Scéal na Camógaíochta (1984)
  2. ^ https://camogie.ie/fixtures-results/littlewoods-ireland-camogie-leagues/ [bare URL]
  3. ^ Moran, Mary (2011). A Game of Our Own: The History of Camogie. Dublin, Ireland: Cumann Camógaíochta. p. 460.