Irish martial arts

[1] Traditional styles include dornálaíocht (boxing), coraíocht (wrestling), speachóireacht (kicking), and bataireacht (stick-fighting).

The style or stance used in dornálaíocht, a form of bare-knuckle boxing, is sometimes reflected in Irish caricatures such as that of the Notre Dame Leprechaun.

The more distantly placed lead hand is also used to more easily obtain a single collar clinch, so that another aspect of dornálaíocht can then be employed: dirty boxing.

Coraíocht can be practised with or without a jacket and features a wide array of trips, mares, takedowns, slams, pins, advancements, submissions, grapevines, and escapes.

The most quoted "modern" way of describing the philosophy behind coraíocht is "use balance and speed to obtain position so that strength can then be applied to the leverage created".

Irish faction fights involved large groups of people who would engage in melees at county fairs, weddings, funerals, or other gatherings.