Royal School Armagh will host the 2026 All-Ireland Schoolgirls Championships

Thursday February 19, 2026 – Armagh: Hockey Ireland is pleased to announce that Ulster’s Royal School Armagh will host the 2026 All-Ireland Schoolgirls’ Championship, which will take place on 19 and 20 March 2026.

The historic competition, which dates back to 1980, is an annual highlight of the hockey calendar and is considered the highest level of schoolgirls hockey played in Ireland, featuring top teams from all four provinces. 2026 marks a historic year in the competition, with the decision made to expand the number of competing schools from the five Senior Cup winners – namely Leinster, Leinster South, Ulster, Munster and Connacht Senior Cups – to include the winners of the Leinster, Ulster and Munster Senior League.

In addition to the expansion in teams, there is a brand new format that will switch from the previous five-team round-robin tournament to a pool format. Teams are placed in one of two groups of four teams, with each team playing each other once. The top team in each pool will play for the Kate Russell Cup, while the second team in each pool will compete against each other for the Daphne Hall Cup, two awards that recognize the exceptional contribution of two of schoolgirls hockey’s most influential figures.

Royal School Armagh will have the honor of hosting this year’s All-Ireland Schoolgirls Championship. The Ulster school became the first side to qualify for this year’s competition and won their fourth consecutive Ulster Stevenson Cup in November 2025 when they defeated Banbridge Academy. RSA are well acquainted with the All-Ireland Schoolgirls Championship, having last won the competition in 2024 and winning their fifth title since the trophy was first lifted in 2002.

Their school ground will play host to half of the competition over two days, with both the Kate Russell and Daphne Hall finals taking place on March 20, while the nearby Armagh Hockey Club will be the second field used.

Following the announcement, Royal School Armagh head coach Greg Thompson said:

“It is a huge honor for the Royal School, Armagh to be selected to host the 2026 All-Ireland Schoolgirls Championships. The move to an eight-team pool format is a significant step forward for the game and provides a more intense and competitive structure for the players.

As a group we have worked incredibly hard since our Stevenson Cup victory in November to prepare for this level of competition. We have such fond memories of organizing and winning this tournament in 2024; to have the opportunity to defend that legacy in front of a home crowd again is something the girls relish. We can’t wait to get started on March 19.”