Playing sports up the hills

si_vis_pacem

I used to be active in the scouts when I was a kid, but I haven't been camping in quite a few years, so I was hoping to pick someone's brains over this:

I play a weird German sport called Jugger and we usually organise a small tournament every year (or try to). One year we managed to get around 10 German teams over, but most years we've held the tournament there's been around 15 - 20 people. We usually organise to play in a park that allows ball games and use our couches/spare beds to accommodate visitors, but some of us have been thinking about trying to arrange a camping tournament up the hills this year instead. If it's a success we'd probably keep doing it in future.

We don't need much pitchwise, any reasonably flat 40m by 20m area would do. We've played on everything in the past from 30 degree slopes (in the rain) to pitches with rabbit holes and partially buried boulders so we're not overly fussy. If there's a suitable place but it's overgrown I'd be able to scythe it down (with the permission of the owner obviously!).

We are a responsible group, and wherever we play (either here or abroad) we always walk the pitches and campsites after us to make sure we're not leaving any litter. While we do usually drink after a tournament, we're not the type to litter the hills with cans and scorchmarks. So in keeping with the leave no trace thing, I have a few questions:

1/Hostels: An ideal solution for us would be to book a hostel or campsite with facilities such as showers etc. with access to some kind of field to play on (or within reasonable walking distance of one). I tried lough Dan, but they said they wouldn't be able to take us. Anyone know anywhere else that might?

2/Camping: I gather wild camping is legal on wicklow national parkland, but their site says we'd need a permit for groups over 10. Had anyone here ever applied for such a permit? Are they easy to get?

3/Farms: I've read here/generally heard of, a few people who've rented fields from farmers. Does anyone have a number for someone open to this?

4/Cooking: Campfires and barbecues are out (fairly reasonably, I've been up close to gorsefires before and they're not nice), are those kerosene/butane camping stoves still ok?

5/Sanitation: This is the tricky one. If we're with a hostel/regular camping ground it shouldn't be an issue, but a wild camping site obviously would be. I looked up a few sites which recommended "catholes" but this might not be an option for over ten people staying in the same area over a whole weekend and I assume digging a larger latrine wouldn't be ok. Scout troops go camping all over the place in large groups so I assume there's some kind of solution to this issue.

Thanks in advance for any/all replies

paddler1974

Check out this place in carne very similiar to lough dan, close to ferry for travelling teams, Has a pub down the road thats only open for june to august. you can camp or book hostel type accomodation, its used loads by scout groups and community groups link
https://svp.ie/about-us/what-we-do/holiday-breaks/carne-holiday-home.aspx

si_vis_pacem

@Paddler, thanks for that, I'll check it out.