The Irish Games Association (IGA) is a non-profit body which is dedicated to promoting gaming in Ireland, by running, supporting, and publicising gaming events, while seeking to communicate and cooperate with others that do likewise.
The IGA engages in a number of activities designed to further its stated aim of promoting gaming in Ireland, and has evolved substantially over its lifespan. Originally, the IGA was a group composed of different gaming interests from around the country who came together to organise an event known as Gaelcon [1]. The first Gaelcon was run in 1989 in the Royal Dublin Society. It has run annually since then, growing to become Ireland's largest independent (i.e., non-college) games convention. Subsequent venues included Croke Park's convention centre and Royal Hospital Kilmainham.
While the main focus of the convention is obviously on Role-playing games, war games and collectible card games (such as Dungeons & Dragons, Warhammer 40,000 and Magic: The Gathering, respectively) and other games, an important aspect is also special events such as the annual Charity Auction, which has raised in excess of €250,000 since its inception at Gaelcon 1996.
In 2006, the international Diana Jones Award was awarded to 'Irish Game Convention Charity Auctions', including Gaelcon and Warpcon.[2]
In general, the IGA seeks to help the gaming community in whatever way possible, be it by organising events, providing information, publicising events or offering what assistance it can to others who are working on behalf of the gaming community in Ireland. In the past, this has included the provision of financial assistance to new conventions and gaming societies.
The IGA is not, nor does it claim to be, a representative body for gaming in Ireland.