Irish Games Association

Originally, the IGA was a group composed of different gaming interests from around Ireland that came together to organise Gaelcon, an independent games convention (i.e., one not run by a college games society or a trader). The first Gaelcon was run in 1989 in the Royal Dublin Society.{{cite web|url=https://geekireland.com/gaelcon-totally-biased-account/|title=Gaelcon: A (totally biased) Account|last=Nugent|first=Baz|publisher=Geek Ireland|date=30 October 2017|access-date=7 November 2023}} It has been run annually since then, growing to become Ireland's largest independent games convention.{{cite web|url=https://www.tn2magazine.ie/fear-and-rolling-at-gaelcon/|title=Fear and Rolling at Gaelcon|last=Moore|first=Eoin|publisher=TN2 Magazine|date=19 November 2014|access-date=6 November 2023}} Subsequent venues included Croke Park's convention centre, the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Clontarf Castle and Jury's/Ballsbridge Hotel. While the main focus of the convention is on role-playing games (RPGs), war games and collectible card games (such as Dungeons & Dragons, Warhammer 40,000 and Magic: The Gathering, respectively) and board games, other aspects include events such as the annual charity auction, which has raised in excess of €300,000 since its inception at Gaelcon 1996.{{cite web|url=https://geekireland.com/gaelcon-2019-a-chat-with-the-director/|title=Gaelcon 2019: A Chat With The Director|last=Nugent|first=Baz|publisher=Geek Ireland|date=23 October 2019|access-date=6 November 2023}}

Writers of RPG game scenarios run at the convention have included Gareth Hanrahan,{{cite web|url=https://pelgranepress.com/2016/11/07/weekend-at-dracula-part-0/|title=Weekend at Dracula's|last=Hanrahan|first=Gareth|publisher=Pelgrane Press|date=7 November 2016|access-date=6 November 2023}} and Cat Tobin, and guests of honour have included Chaosium's Lynne Hardy.{{cite web|url=https://www.chaosium.com/blogchaosiums-lynne-hardy-is-guest-of-honour-at-gaelcon-oct-2730th/|title=Chaosium's Lynne Hardy is Guest of Honour at GaelCon (Oct 27-30th)|last=O'Brien|first=Michael|publisher=Chaosium Inc.|date=25 October 2023|access-date=6 November 2023}}

In 2006, the international Diana Jones Award was awarded to "Irish Game Convention Charity Auctions", including Gaelcon and Warpcon.{{cite web|url=http://www.dianajonesaward.org/06winner.html|title=Irish Gamers' genorosity wins gaming award|publisher=Diana Jones Award Committee|date=9 August 2006|access-date=6 November 2023}}

The IGA seeks to help the Irish gaming community by organising events, publicising others' events and providing what assistance and information it can to others who are "working on behalf of the gaming community in Ireland".{{fact|date=January 2023}} This has included the provision of financial assistance to new conventions and gaming societies.{{fact|date=January 2023}}

The IGA's activities and services have included organising and running:

• the Gaelcon games convention, held annually on the October bank holiday weekend;
• the Academy of Eblana, a live action role-playing game (or "rubber-sword LARP") with a fantasy setting, which ran from 2013 to 2018;{{cite web|url=https://theadventuringparty.libsyn.com/long-rest-august-2018-gaming-holiday-recaps|title=Long Rest, August 2018: Gaming Holiday Recaps|publisher=The Adventuring Party|date=1 August 2018|access-date=7 November 2023}}
• weekly games nights, held in Dublin.{{cite web|url=https://iga.ie/iga/iga-games-night-dublin/|title=IGA Games Night - Dublin|publisher=IGA|access-date=6 November 2023}}

The IGA first incorporated as a company limited by guarantee in 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.solocheck.ie/Irish-Company/Gaelcon-Irish-Games-Association-Company-Limited-By-Guarantee-692356|title=Gaelcon Irish Games Association Company Limited By Guarantee|publisher=Solocheck.ie|date=6 November 2023|access-date=6 November 2023}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.iga.ie/ Irish Games Association website]

Category:Gaming conventions

Category:Clubs and societies in the Republic of Ireland

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