Limerick's Games & Hobby Centre since 1997
Twenty six years ago, I was working in “The Games People Play” a games store in Limerick. I had just convinced several friends to hand over their hard earned cash to pay for a year’s club membership when the shop closed down. Motivated by a mixture of guilt and presented opportunity, but mainly guilt, I decided to set up my own shop. With a loan and a motley crew and over the course of one weekend in February 1997 we transformed a premises on Lower Gerald Griffin Street into “The Gathering Games and Hobby Shop”.
There was no electricity, phone or running water, and I had yet to set up any accounts with any gaming companies, but I still recall with fondness the candlelit evening games when laughter was loud and dice rolls were difficult to confirm. The shop has always had a strict code universally applied whether to boy, girl, old, young, Professor or pauper. Enjoy the game, play by the rules, win or lose shake hands and don’t hover around gamers looking for answers when they're in the middle of a game.
All kinds of people have passed through the doors of The Gathering, played games, made friends, learned a few harsh life lessons, grown up, well, some have merely aged without the commensurate wisdom and maturity. Everyone is welcome. Most are welcome back! All are Gathering Alumni. After running the shop for a year, I held our first gaming convention, Conclave, in Halla Ide on Thomas Street. This year marks the 25th anniversary of that convention. Twenty five years of cards and models, wargames and board games, and people coming together to battle it out for victory or epic failure.
There is a Gathering theory that it’s not if you win or lose, it’s if you can do something spectacular. We have had many spectacular stories and life events over the last 25 years, and continue to make these great stories with the new generation of Gathering Gamers. There are many great tales to be told and photos to be shared. If you have any, feel free to send them to us so that we can share them on your behalf.
Standing on the Shoulders of Giants
The very first gaming club that I was part of was in a room in a mechanics institute in Limerick. The very same room where notable characters such as Jim Larkin and Paidraig Pearse once stood. Illuminaries such as Len O'Grady, Mike Purcell and Terence O'Driscoll were just some of the people running RPGs. It was a no brainer that when we opened the shop that the club was probably going to come first, which it did and remained so over the years.
Our community is large and spans generations. Indeed there are people in their mid 30s running games at our con who first came in the door when they were 8 or 9 years old. Over the last 25 years our club has grown into more of a community or clan than just a gaming club. Lifelong friendships have been made here, and we have literally seen people grow from youngsters to oldsters. Our staff/volunteers are all club members from the past, and these people are intrinsic in the success of our annual gaming convention; Conclave.
THE PEOPLE
Garry Jackson
Owner / Founder
Garry Jackson is the founder, owner, and proprietor of the Gathering, Ireland's longest running gaming and hobby centre. Garry opened the Gathering 26 years ago but has been an avid gamer for over 40 years, holding many national and international gaming titles over many different gaming systems.
Kelan Fitzgerald
& Kyle McAuley
Yu-Gi-Oh & Pokemon Organisers
Kelan Fitzgerald and Kyle McAuley have both been coming into the Gathering for 15 years and are two of our top CCG volunteers. Kelan and Kyle are both our official Pokemon Professors and Yu-Gi-Oh! Judges and is intrinsic to running both of these games in the shop. Kelan, Kyle and their minions are on hand most days to teach newbies how to play.
Maeve Hennessy
Right Hand
Meadhbh Hennessey is another long time member of the club and has been active in helping organize and run games in here since childhood. she is pivotal in the organization and running of Conclave. Drop by the con at any time and you'll see Meadhbh's smiling face, bright and early to greet people and help them find the games they're looking for.
Ben Byrne
Various Organiser
Ben Byrne is like that cog in a machine that if it breaks, the whole thing comes tumbling down. One of the nicest people you'll meet, Ben is involved in running many games in The Gathering such as Frostgrave, MCP, Star Wars Legion, RPGs to name but a few. Ben is more than happy to show new players how to play any of his favourite games.
Seamus Hennessey
Magic the Gathering Organiser
Seamus is another Veteran but this time in Magic, seamus is our Magic judge/ organiser and has over the years introduced many players to the hobby.
Leon O'Connor
Warhammer Organiser
Leon has been coming into the club since childhood and is our Ardent GW fanatic running everything from 40k to fantasy battle in the past to more recently war cry, Age of Sigmar , wfrp. Leon is about most Saturdays to talk and play nearly any GW game.
John & Dee
Roleplaying Organisers
Well we couldnt mention rpgs unless we mentioned John and Dee. These hero's hail from Cork and have been running our rpgs at our Conclaves, and food drives for over 15 years now, and are always on hand to help budding new Gms get started. We also have an abundance of Gms at the gathering who are more than happy to help new and veteran players alike .
Tony Deegan
& John Somers
Batletech Organisers
Catalyst Demo agent Tony deegan is our front of house Battletech agent, running games every Friday.. if he's not off helping organise the nationals, or running battletech scenarios, with our second catalyst agent John Somers. Between both of these Limerick is well represented globaly for this great game.