Lawn Bowls

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Lawn Bowls facts

Lawn Bowls has been a part of the Commonwealth Games since the first games in 1930.
The sport is played by both male and female, with events held in individual, pairs, triples and fours formats.
NI made its Lawn Bowls debut at the 1934 London Commonwealth Games.
Northern Ireland secured their first gold medal in Lawn Bowls in the men’s pairs event at the 1954 Games in Vancouver.
At the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, the NI men’s fours team – Sam Barkley, Adam McKeown, Ian McClure, and Martin McHugh – claimed gold in a dominant 18-5 victory. Gary Kelly claimed silver in the men’s singles.

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LEAMINGTON SPA, ENGLAND - AUGUST 06: Gary Kelly of Team Northern Ireland bowls during Men's Singles - Gold Medal Match between Australia and Northern Ireland on day nine of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games at Victoria Park on August 06, 2022 on the Leamington Spa, England. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)

LEAMINGTON SPA, ENGLAND - AUGUST 06: Ian McClure, Adam McKeown, Sam Barkley and Martin McHugh of Team Northern Ireland celebrate their victory in the Men's Fours - Gold Medal Match between Northern Ireland and India on day nine of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games at Victoria Park on August 06, 2022 on the Leamington Spa, England. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)

LEAMINGTON SPA, ENGLAND - AUGUST 06: Silver medalists Sunil Bahadur, Navneet Singh, Chandan Kumar Singh and Dinesh Kumar of Team India, Gold medalists Ian McClure, Adam McKeown, Sam Barkley and Martin McHugh of Team Northern Ireland and Bronze medalists Louis Ridout, Nick Brett, Jamie Chestney and Sam Tolchard of Team England pose on the podium during the Men's Fours Lawn Bowls - Medal ceremony on day nine of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games at Victoria Park on August 06, 2022 on the Leamington Spa, England. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)

LEAMINGTON SPA, ENGLAND - AUGUST 06: Ian McClure, Adam McKeown and Sam Barkley of Team Scotland compete during Men's Fours - Gold Medal Match between Northern Ireland and India on day nine of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games at Victoria Park on August 06, 2022 on the Leamington Spa, England. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)

LEAMINGTON SPA, ENGLAND - AUGUST 06: Ian McClure, Adam McKeown, Sam Barkley and Martin McHugh of Team Scotland look on during Men's Fours - Gold Medal Match between Northern Ireland and India on day nine of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games at Victoria Park on August 06, 2022 on the Leamington Spa, England. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)

LEAMINGTON SPA, ENGLAND - AUGUST 04: Ashley Rainey and Courtney Meneely of Team Northern Ireland react during Women's Triples - Section A - Round 5 match between Australia and Northern Ireland on day seven of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games at Victoria Park on August 04, 2022 in Leamington Spa, England. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)

LEAMINGTON SPA, ENGLAND - AUGUST 04: Courtney Meneely and Chloe Wilson of Team Northern Ireland interact during Women's Triples - Section A - Round 5 match between Australia and Northern Ireland on day seven of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games at Victoria Park on August 04, 2022 in Leamington Spa, England. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)

LEAMINGTON SPA, ENGLAND - JULY 29: Shauna O'Neill of Northern Ireland competes during the Women's Singles Lawn Bowls Round Two match between Team Scotland and Team Northern Ireland on Day 1 of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

LEAMINGTON SPA, ENGLAND - AUGUST 04: Chloe Wilson of Team Northern Ireland competes during Women's Triples - Section A - Round 5 match between Australia and Northern Ireland on day seven of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games at Victoria Park on August 04, 2022 in Leamington Spa, England. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)

LEAMINGTON SPA, ENGLAND - JULY 30: Shauna O'Neill of Team Northern Ireland competes as opponent Laura Danies of Team Wales watches on during the Women's Singles Lawn Bowls Round Four match between Team Northern Ireland and Team Wales on day two of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games at Victoria Park on July 30, 2022 on the Leamington Spa, England. (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)