Irish National Quidditch Team

The Irish National Quidditch Team is the professional Quidditch team representing Ireland in international competition. They are most famous for being the champions of the 422nd Quidditch World Cup in 1994, an event attended by Harry Potter and the Weasley family. The team is renowned for its exceptional Chaser line-up and aggressive, high-scoring style of play.

The Irish team's journey to victory in the 1994 Quidditch World Cup is the primary context in which they appear.

• In the semi-finals, Ireland defeated the Peruvian National Team to secure their place in the final.
• The final match was held in a purpose-built stadium on Dartmoor, England, against the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team. Ireland entered the match as the favourites to win.
• The Irish Chasers—Troy, Mullet, and Moran—quickly established dominance, scoring the first goal and employing their famous Hawkshead Attacking Formation to great effect, overwhelming the Bulgarian defense.
• Throughout the match, the Irish team maintained a significant lead. Their Seeker, Aidan Lynch, was pitted against Bulgaria's star player, Viktor Krum. At one point, Krum executed a perfect Wronski Feint, causing Lynch to crash into the ground.
• Despite their lead, the Irish team was consistently harassed by the Bulgarian team's Beaters and the masterful flying of Viktor Krum.
• The match concluded in a highly unusual manner. With Ireland leading 170-10, Viktor Krum caught the Golden Snitch, earning 150 points for Bulgaria. This ended the game but was not enough to overcome Ireland's lead. The final score was 170-160, making the Irish National Quidditch Team the World Cup Champions.

The 1994 championship-winning roster was noted for its exceptional teamwork and the individual skill of its players.

• Known Roster (1994):
  • Chasers: Troy, Mullet, Moran
  • Beaters: Connolly, Quigley
  • Keeper: Ryan
  • Seeker: Aidan Lynch
• Tactics:
  • The team was most famous for the Hawkshead Attacking Formation, a strategic manoeuvre performed by their Chasers that was considered a significant threat to any opposing team.
  • Their overall strategy relied on their Chasers' ability to score rapidly and build a substantial lead, giving their Seeker the freedom to pursue the Snitch without the pressure of a close score. Their cohesive and powerful offensive play was the cornerstone of their success.

• Uniforms: The team's players wore emerald green robes, emblazoned with a large, sequined green shamrock on the chest.
• Equipment: Each of the seven players on the 1994 team rode a Firebolt, which at the time was the fastest and most advanced racing broomstick in the world.
• Mascot: The team's official mascot is the Leprechaun. During the opening ceremony of the Quidditch World Cup final, a swarm of Leprechauns flew into the stadium, creating a giant, glittering shamrock and a rainbow over the stands. After every goal scored by Ireland, they would fly up and shower the crowd with Leprechaun Gold, which would vanish after a few hours.

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the Irish team's entrance is depicted with the players flying in formation, leaving a trail of green and white pyrotechnic smoke. The Leprechauns then create a massive, animated firework of a dancing and winking leprechaun in the sky above the stadium. (film)
• The names of all the Irish players, aside from Aidan Lynch, are only known through the running commentary provided by Ludo Bagman in the novel.