The first international field hockey game was played on January 26, 1895, between Ireland and Wales in Rhyl, North Wales. Ireland won the match 3-0 despite challenging weather conditions, including a snowstorm
. The Ireland squad for this historic match included:
- Goalkeeper: J Birmingham (Palmerston)
- Backs: WB Dobbs (Captain, Dundrum), B Ramsay (King’s Hospital)
- Half Backs: JE Mills (Palmerston), T Walsh (Palmerston), W Butler (King’s Hospital)
- Forwards: P Carlton (Trinity), H Birmingham (Palmerston), T Beckett (King’s Hospital), H Rutherford (Trinity), A Carroll (Dundrum)
- Reserves: D Gordon, Clifford, WD Hamilton, TC Devlin, B Hamilton
Notably, T. Beckett scored twice and A. Carroll scored once to secure the victory for Ireland
. This match marked the beginning of organized international competition in field hockey and laid the foundation for the sport's global development
