A village green bordered by 52 majestic horse-chestnut trees formed the perfect natural arena for the seventh annual Irish Conker Championships at Freshford, Co Kilkenny, yesterday.
For four hours, some 380 competitors from around the world participated in a frantic series of good-humoured matches overseen by 16 referees.
A Kilkenny man conquered all. Fitter-welder Danny Webster (52), from Foulksrath, received a voucher for €500 and a silver trophy. He said he won because "my conkers were stronger".
In the age of PlayStation, the game of conkers, a Victorian childhood favourite reputedly invented on the Isle of Wight in 1848, appears to be thriving. In addition to the Kilkenny event, there are annual world conker championships in the Northamptonshire village of Ashton, and jeux organised by the Fédération Française De Conkers.
For the Irish contest, Children from St Lachtain's National School in Freshford collected 23,000 conkers. The cream of the crop was selected by the organising committee. A team of volunteers then drilled some 2,500 nuts and threaded each with a leather lace.
Committee spokeswoman Brenda Cooper said competitors were not allowed to bring their own conkers, for fear that some might cheat by hardening their nuts. Scams include soaking them in vinegar, baking in an oven or even coating them in nail varnish.
The team event was won by the Legendary Airheads from Co Wexford. Reigning champion Michael Early (36), an architect from Drumcondra, returned to defend his title but was beaten in one of the opening matches by Seán Walpole, a forklift driver from Johnswell, Kilkenny.
John P Quinn, a student from Westport, Co Mayo, who had never played before as "there are no conkers in Mayo", reached the final. He wore the Mayo colours, which attracted much support, but lost to Mr Webster.
