Rules

For National Community Games rules, please refer to the FAQs section on the national website and for rules on specific events, please check the Events section. The most important participation rules are summarised below: -

• Children competing for a particular area must reside within that area boundary as defined by their area map.

• The cut off date for defining ages in Community Games is 31st July.  So children who are under the age on 31st July in the year of competition are eligible.

• To compete in Community Games, children must be over 6 and under 16.  See the handy age calculator to check eligibility for different events.

• At National Community Games events, a child may only compete in one individual and one team event at any given National Weekend.

Dual Players Qualifying for Munster Provincial Finals

In relation to participating at a particular Munster Final’s Weekend (including preliminaries held prior to the weekend), that a competitor may only take part with one team.  The decision will be taken at area level and forwarded to the county secretary of which event the competitor will take part in.  The county secretary will notify the provincial secretary who in turn will advise all relevant personal of the decision.  If the team which a participant opted to compete with is defeated at provincial and the other team wins provincial the defeated participant will be eligible to compete at the National Finals with the winning team.

1. ALL entries must be entered in the ORS. Entries will NOT be accepted on Email, Text or Whatsapp, Etc. NOTE: County only events will be entered via Google Forms.

2. Team Games at County 

a. Areas must enter team(s) on the ORS prior to the County closing date.

b. Once a team has been entered on the ORS and the closing date has passed, the Area may continue to make changes and additions to each entered panel sheet up to 48 hours prior to commencement of the first County match. No changes or replacements will be permitted after this time (no subsequent changes permitted prior to Munster/National competitions).

c. The draw and schedule will be done and made publicly available as soon as possible after the number of team entries is known.

d. All teams listed at time the draw is done will be charged entry and referee fees.

e. At Provincial and National events, the National procedure will be followed. 

f. No replacements are permitted once County competition starts and Areas should bear in mind the Munster rule whereby a child can only compete in one team event at any of the Munster Finals Weekends.

3. Individual events at County. 

a. Areas must enter the individual(s) on the ORS prior to the County closing date.

b. Replacements of either or both of the 2 Area individuals will be allowed to the ORS authorised list at cut-off, but must be notified to County Registrar and County Secretary at least 48 hours before the date of the event start, by the Area Secretary on the Community Games Email. These replacements can only made ONCE, NOT multiple times. NO replacements (no exceptions) will be accepted after the 48 hour deadline so there will be NO replacements accepted on the day of the event.

c. No additional participants will be allowed to the ORS authorised list at cut-off, as these constitute late entries see byelaw 2 above.

d. Areas will be charged for all entries which are on the ORS as of the County closing date.

4. County Event delayed. If an event is delayed for more than 5 (five) days, the closing date will be suitably extended. If less than 5 days and the ORS closing date has passed, the original ORS closing date remains. Note: As per No 2 above, team panel members can be changed up to 48 hours prior to competition.

5. All communications must be done through the Area Secretary or Children’s Officer (if appropriate). The Community Games Email accounts (xxx@communitygames.eu) must be used by Area Secretaries / Children’s Officers in all cases. 

6. Area Entries to County Competitions. The allowable number of Area entries in County events is limited to 2 individuals/teams - subject to the following exceptions (to increase participation):-

a. Pitch & Putt: 5 entries per category.

b. Talent: Unlimited, but child may only enter 1 solo and 1 group event. Children may enter a group event and the Choir competition, however as these are on the same National Weekend, if the child qualifies in both, they must select desired event on the day of the County Talent/Choir competition.

c. Gymnastics: 6 entries per category.

d. Mixed Distance Relays: 3 entries per category (i.e. per distance)

e. Cross Country: 10 entries (5 boys/5 girls).

f. U16 5k Run: Unlimited.

g. Cycling: 3 entries per category.

h. Athletics: Limited to one individual and one relay entry per child.

i. County Entry Fee is payable per event per child.

• Note: A child can enter MDR or Cross Country (not both, as these are on same National Weekend).

7. County Only Competitions. The following events are run in County Clare only (subject to insurance) and there is no Provincial or National Competition.  Entries for these are taken via Google Forms (not ORS):

a. U10 Cross Country Relays (4 x 250m).

b. U10 Cycling on Grass (1 lap, c. 400m).

c. U14 (O12) 2k Run.

d. U16 Cycling on Grass (1 lap, c. 400m).

The Clare Community Games Calendar of Events is published on the Clare Community Games website (https://www.clarecommunitygames.ie/calendar ) and updated regularly. Showing, for each event, ORS Closing date, the date of event, Venue, Information for County, Munster and National as applicable. Area Secretaries, Managers, Coaches and Parents etc. should check regularly for any changes.

Areas are primarily responsible for first aid for their competitors.

Approved by Clare County Executive on 13/1/2026