Over 1,000 athletes, coaches and supporters are attending the World Archery youth championships at the University of Limerick sports campus this week - the first ever to be staged there.
It is a big gathering for what is regarded as a minority sport, but it is growing in popularity in Ireland and is open to all genders and abilities. The long term ambition is to make Limerick the venue for other world archery events.
Lining up, and taking expert aim at the extensive UL sports grounds are 600 archers, 200 coaches and enthusiasts from 60 countries, from across all continents.
Competitors from Korea, China, India, and France are all particularly strong, and many attending the Limerick championships are future Olympians.
Adam Taylor, who is the tournament organiser from Archery Ireland, said they fought hard to win the bid to host the championships, and the venue and facilities in Limerick were a big help.
"It's a very precise and skilled sport, and suits the sort of techie individual, but anyone can begin it from a young age and buy equipment for around €100.
"It's very adaptable to both able-bodied and paralympic sports and suits all genders.
"We expect it will be viewed by over 10 million people across 150 territories and that the sport will grow in popularity, particularly here at home. We have 40 archery clubs at present, one of the longest and strongest here at UL, and we are anticipating a surge in take up of the sport as a result of hosting the competition here.
"We hope this tournament is the beginning of a legacy of archery events being brought to Limerick and our ambition is to make it the European capital of such events, because of the scale of the venue and facilities and welcome. We will definitely be making other bids for similar size events in the future," he said.
Among the Irish hopefuls is 19-year-old Sam Delaney from Tallaght in Dublin, who has competed at European level in the past, and is eyeing up the international competition he will face at the further European finals in Berlin later this year.
"It's just amazing to have this major international youth competition here at home, and to see them take part in our unpredictable weather. Wind and rain do have an influence on the bow so I’m watching how they manage those environmental factors.
"I’ve had a bow in my hand since I was four years of age, when my Dad who was very interested in the sport, made one for me and I have been involved in the sport and competing for many years now and I really love it," he said.
His fellow teammate Aislinn Edwards from Wicklow, said the film The 'Hunger games' as well as the depiction of archery on video games had a big influence on young people taking up the sport, but it's becoming more and more popular in Ireland.
Lauren Moriarty is Captain of UL Archers club, which is one of the strongest in the country, now established for 50 years.
"UL has strong roots in the sport, with librarian Mary Vaughan representing Ireland in the 1984 games, so we have a long connection with it, and to have the world championships here is a huge boost to the club and to the sport generally."
Grady Kane, 15, from South Dakota is on the US team, which with 24 participants, is the biggest delegation at the games.
"I'm a long way from home for sure but I just love shooting my bow. It's a sport that you can just keep perfecting.
"There’s a lot of strong competition here and we’re all watching the weather and how it affects our accuracy, but it's great to be here and taking part," he said.
