An Tir Dearg

The sword holds a powerful fascination for many people, but with the coming of firearms they have generally disappeared from combat use. Today competitive swordplay is often limited to martial sports such as modern fencing and kendo, which, while excellent sports in their own right, neglect the complexities of group tactics and the variety of weapons on ancient battlefields.

The Belegarth Medieval Combat Society fills this gap with a martial sport that uses stiff, foam padded approximations of medieval weapons and a very simple set of rules for an experience that is fast, challenging and addictive. An Tir Dearg (Scots Gaelic for "The Red Land") is a new group based in Washington, Utah and is the only active realm in southern Utah with members from St. George, Bloomington, Santa Clara, Ivins, Washington, Hurricane, Apple Valley, Leeds and Cedar City. We meet EVERY Wednesday at 7pm in Nisson Park on 251 W Telegraph. See the Rules page for more information about how the game is played and visit the Videos page for a sample of videos of the sport in action.

All regional and national events enforce a minimum age of sixteen. The minimum age for participation at An Tir Dearg practices is now also sixteen. Before participating all new members need to sign a release form. Here are the Adult Release and the Minor Release. The Minor Release Form must be notarized!

If you have questions, feel free to join us on the forum or we can be reached directly at isk (at) antirdearg dot com or 435.767.1757.

So whether you are just looking for a great workout or a way to unwind and enjoy an intense, competitive and friendly sport, come out and swing a sword with us.