Union Hall duo runs rings around Strasbourg

A DUTCH couple who made Union Hall their home 26 years ago represented Ireland at a rather unusual tournament in Strasbourg recently.

Eddy and Jacqueline Weij both competed as individuals, as well as members of the Irish team at the Sjoelen World Cup.

A total of 224 players from 12 countries took part in the games, which involves throwing 30 wooden discs along a 2m-long board with the intention of sliding the discs into ‘stables’ worth different points. 

Eddy said: ‘Sjoelen, otherwise known as Dutch Shuffle Board, is a very demanding skill in terms of eye and muscle co-ordination.’ 

Eddy, a former pilot, was ranked 61st out of the 147 males taking part in the world cup, while Jacqueline was ranked 54th out of the 77 women.

In addition to the two honorary Irish players from Union Hall, the Irish ‘Green Dream Team’ was made up of three Irish players from Dublin, as well as three players from France, Germany and Scotland. 

The team was placed tenth after losing to South Korea. 

Although Eddy and Jacqueline are not members of a club and only play at home, Eddy has, on occasion, been invited to demonstrate the game at the Union Hall Festival by the Sea, the fete at Myross Wood, and The Clonakilty Games Festival. Eddy is, however, hoping that the game will catch on and that there will be more Irish people on the Irish team at the 2019 World Cup.