How Many People Play Cricket in Ireland? ~100,000 (2021 ICU Figures)

As of 2021, ~100,000 active cricket players in Ireland, per the Irish Cricket Union (ICU) (now Cricket Ireland).

Breakdown

• Gender: Male & female (women's game growing rapidly—30%+ of new registrations)
• Age: Junior (under 18) ~40%; Senior ~60%
• Level: Recreational club cricket → Provincial → International
• Geography: Concentrated in Leinster (Dublin/Pinstripe), Northern (Belfast/Derry), North West, Munster, Connacht

Context

• 2nd most popular sport after Gaelic football (participation)
• Test status since 2017 — boosted visibility, funding, youth uptake
• Key clubs: Leinster CC, Phoenix CC, Merrion, Waringstown, Brigade, Bready
• Domestic structure: Inter-Provincial Series (3 provinces + North West), All-Ireland T20 Cup

Growth Drivers

• Immigration from cricket nations (South Asia, UK, South Africa)
• Schools programs (Cricket Ireland's "Cricket4All")
• Women's international success (World Cup qualifiers, T20 World Cup appearances)
• TV coverage (Sky Sports, BBC NI, RTÉ)

Note: Post-COVID numbers likely higher—2023/24 registration data not yet published. Cricket Ireland's strategic plan targets 150,000 participants by 2025.