A farm at Glannagh, near Ballinalee, Co Longford, is the location of the Queen Maeve Traditional Field Archery Club. It was founded some years ago by English-born Jim Fisher and his Dublin-born partner, Antoinette Trueman.
Antoinette says they discovered traditional archery about five years ago when they met the father of the sport in these islands, Jim Rose.
She explained that the sport is much different from target archery because it involves shooting arrows in a more natural form, and not on a flat area with distances marked out between the archer and the butts.
Neither does the sport allow the participants to use the legion of aids, such as sights and stabilisers, which one sees in the Olympic form of the sport.
Traditionalists use only the longbow, flatbow and recurve bow, made of natural materials. The use of fibreglass, aluminium and carbon bows or arrows is banned.
The field shoots consist of up to 40 "animal" targets of varying sizes from deer down to rabbits and birds, which are placed in their natural environment, such as in the shadows of trees or in scrub.
To get a scoring shot, the archer must stand with one foot against a marker peg and move the body into a shooting position.
Three shots are allowed per target.
"It is like real hunting but no animals are ever used so it is animal welfare friendly. It is also environmentally sound because only natural materials are used," she said.
"Apart from that, it's great fun and men, women and children can take part in it and enjoy the shooting and country side because we try and locate the shoots in open forest."
She said there are about 50 traditional archers in the country. There are two clubs, both based in Longford, and anyone interested can try out the sport.
"We import the bows from Britain and we have practice shoots here on the farm every Sunday. The next field shoot will be held on July 2nd next," she said.
Antoinette, who has a great interest in archery, confirmed a story I had heard many years ago about the origin of the Vsign given by gesturing with two fingers.
It is recorded that in the skirmishes before the decisive battle of Agincourt the French, who feared and hated the English archers, always amputated the two fingers which they used to draw their bows when they captured the English soldiers.
At the famous battle, every time the English fired a volley of arrows into the French ranks, they raised their two fingers to mock their enemies.
Anyone who wishes to contact the club can do so by calling 043-71230 or 044-42508.