The Irish Wizarding Community

The Irish wizarding community is a notable part of the magical world, primarily featured in the *Harry Potter* series through its passionate support for Quidditch and through Hogwarts student Seamus Finnigan. Their most prominent appearance is during the 1994 Quidditch World Cup, where the Irish National Quidditch Team emerged as champions. The community is depicted as lively, proud, and deeply integrated into the wider European magical society.

The Irish team was one of the two finalists in the 422nd Quidditch World Cup in 1994, playing against Bulgaria in a highly anticipated final match held on the Dartmoor campsite. The team was immensely popular, drawing huge crowds of supporters dressed in green and waving flags adorned with shamrocks. Their official team mascots were Leprechauns, who created a glittering rainbow over the stadium and showered the spectators with Leprechaun Gold. The team ultimately won the World Cup by a score of 170 to 160, despite their Seeker, Aidan Lynch, failing to catch the Golden Snitch. Victory was secured because their Chasers had established a 160-point lead before Bulgarian Seeker Viktor Krum caught the Snitch, ending the game but giving his team only 150 points. The known roster for the 1994 team was as follows:

• Chasers: Troy, Mullet, and Moran. They were noted for their exceptional teamwork and scoring ability, including a successful Hawkshead Attacking Formation.
• Beaters: Connolly and Quigley. They were described as being particularly fierce.
• Keeper: Ryan.
• Seeker: Aidan Lynch. He was a young but impressive Seeker who made several daring dives for the Snitch before ultimately crashing into the ground.

While the Quidditch team represents the most visible group of Irish wizards, several individuals of Irish descent are mentioned in the series and supplementary materials.

• Seamus Finnigan: A Gryffindor student in Harry Potter's year at Hogwarts. He is half-blood, with a witch mother and a Muggle father. Seamus has a noticeable Irish accent and was a fervent supporter of the Irish National Quidditch Team, attending the World Cup final with his mother. He later joined Dumbledore's Army and fought in the Battle of Hogwarts.
• Mrs Finnigan: Seamus's mother, a proud witch who was initially reluctant to let her son return to a Hogwarts under the Ministry of Magic's control in their fifth year. She is a powerful witch, as shown when she successfully creates a Patronus during the Battle of Hogwarts.
• Fergus: Seamus Finnigan's older cousin who, according to Seamus, was fond of Apparating solely to annoy him.
• Isolt Sayre: The founder of the North American school of magic, Ilvermorny. Born in Ireland to the pure-blood Gaunt family, she fled to the New World to escape her evil aunt. (Pottermore)
• Gormlaith Gaunt: The aunt of Isolt Sayre and a descendant of Salazar Slytherin. She was a dark witch who murdered her sister and brother-in-law and held Isolt captive for many years in Ireland. (Pottermore)

The primary aspect of Irish magical culture shown in the books is an overwhelming enthusiasm for Quidditch. The supporters at the World Cup were boisterous and celebratory, wearing green, painting shamrocks on their faces, and engaging in all-night parties. The use of Leprechauns as national mascots indicates a strong connection to magical creatures native to Ireland. The incident with the vanishing Leprechaun Gold, which Ludo Bagman used to pay off his Goblin creditors, highlights a unique magical phenomenon associated with these creatures.

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the Irish National Quidditch Team and their supporters are visually depicted in a manner consistent with the book's descriptions, with extensive use of the color green and shamrock motifs.
• The history of the Irish magical community was significantly expanded by J.K. Rowling on the Pottermore website through the origin story of Ilvermorny, which established a direct link between an ancient Irish pure-blood line (the Gaunt family) and the founding of one of North America's most important magical institutions.