International Rules Series

international football competition between Australia and Ireland

The International Rules Series (IRS) is a men's international rules football series played between two teams: an Australian team (selected by the Australian Football League) and an Irish team (selected by the Gaelic Athletic Association).

International Rules Series (IRS)
SportInternational rules football
Founded1967
(Australian Football World Tour)
Inaugural season1984
No. of teams2
CountryAustralia Australia
Republic of Ireland Ireland
ContinentAustralia
Europe
Most recent
champion(s)
Australia (10th title)
Most titlesAustralia
Ireland (10 titles each)
TV partner(s)Seven Network (Australia)
RTÉ (Ireland)

The first series was played in 1984 and the most recent was held in 2017. The series was meant to return in 2020, but it was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Australia and Ireland have both won the series 10 times each, with Australia being the most recent champions.

Results

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Series results, up to and including the 2017 series.

Country Series won Test wins Test draws* Test losses
  Ireland 10 21 2 19
  Australia 10 19 2 21
*Two draws (second Test, 1999; second Test, 2002)

Trophy

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The Cormac McAnallen Cup is given to the winner of the series.

The trophy given to the series' winner is called the Cormac McAnnallen Cup, named after former Tyrone GAA captain Cormac McAnnallen, who died from a heart condition at 24 years old after he represented Ireland for three series in a row. The trophy was named in his honour in 2004, the year he died.

Venues

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Australia

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Venue City State Tests hosted
Subiaco Oval (Domain Stadium/Patersons Stadium) Perth Western Australia 5[a]
Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) Melbourne Victoria 4[b]
Football Park (AAMI Stadium) Adelaide South Australia 3 (3rd Test 1986, 2nd Test 1999, 1st Test 2001)
Western Australia Cricket Assoc. (WACA) Ground Perth Western Australia 2 (1st Test 1986 & 3rd Test 1990)
Waverley Park Melbourne Victoria 2 (2nd Test 1986 & 1st Test 1990)
Docklands Stadium (Telstra Dome/Etihad Stadium/Marvel Stadium) Melbourne Victoria 2 (2nd Test 2005 & 1st Test 2011)
Canberra Stadium (GIO Stadium Canberra) Canberra Australian Capital Territory 1 (2nd Test 1990)
Carrara Stadium (Metricon Stadium) Gold Coast Queensland 1 (2nd Test 2011)
Adelaide Oval Adelaide South Australia 1 (1st Test 2017)

Ireland

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Venue City County Tests hosted
Croke Park Dublin Dublin 17[c]
Páirc Uí Chaoimh Ballintemple Cork 1 (1st Test 1984)
Pearse Stadium Salthill Galway 1 (1st Test 2006)
Gaelic Grounds Limerick Limerick 1 (1st Test 2010)
Breffni Park Cavan Cavan 1 (1st Test 2013)

Location maps

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Extended content
Location map of venues in Australia (excluding Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide).
Location map of venues in Perth.
Location map of venues in Adelaide.
  1. 1st Test 2003, 1st Test 2005, 1st Test 2008, 1st & only Test 2014, 2nd Test 2017
  2. 1st test 1999, 1st test 2001, 2nd test 2003, 2nd test 2008
  3. 2nd & 3rd tests 1984, 1st 2nd & 3rd tests 1987, 1st & 2nd tests 1998, 1st & 2nd tests 2000, 1st & 2nd tests 2002, 1st & 2nd tests 2004, 2nd test 2006, 2nd test 2010, 2nd test 2013, 1st and only test 2015

References

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