Gaelcon is Ireland’s largest independent gaming convention, and spanning tabletop RPGs (Role-Playing Games like Dungeons & Dragons), LARPs (Live Action Role-Playing), board games (including eurogames, party, strategy games and wargames), miniatures wargames (mainly fantasy and science fiction, with occasional historical games), Collectable Card Games (CCGs). Gaelcon is designed to be a place for players of all experience levels and appetites for tabletop play.

We have many activities in place for beginners, and we are keen to introduce as many people to gaming as possible over the weekend:

• Fingal Libraries Community Gaming are running rolling taster sessions of Dungeons & Dragons fors Juniors (8-12 year olds) and Young Adults (13-17 year olds). They also have a sensory friendly room available alongside tables in the main hall Saturday to Monday.
• Many of the scheduled RPG sessions are suitable for beginner players and even experienced players often use conventions as a chance to play rules that they have not tried before so rules knowledge is typically not required to play. The RPG desk can advise on which sessions are best for beginners.
• Live Action Role Playing or Larps for short will also be running all weekend and as with RPG’s staff will be able to advise you on which would be best for a beginner.
• We have scheduled board games with facilitators and most of them will be able to teach as you play.
• The board games team has a group of roving support staff that can help teach rules for games from our library (available to all attendees).
• There are some casual CCG events for games like Pokémon, Magic The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh! where you can learn the basics of play in a friendly environment.
• There are seminars and training sessions throughout the weekend.
• Most gamers love to chat about gaming and will be in the bars and restaurants at the venue doing just that – join in and you will learn a lot about games!

However please note that Gaelcon is an adult-oriented event and all children must be accompanied at all times by parents or guardians.