Australian rules football in Ireland () began in 1999 when clubs were simultaneously formed in Dublin and Belfast, however awareness of the sport dates back to the first tours by Australian teams in late 1967 and the country subsequently became a source of players for professional leagues in Australia through the Irish Experiment. While coexisting with and relying heavily on players from Gaelic games, the sport has grown and Ireland has become one of the most decorated nations in Australian rules with the national team, formed in 2001, winning second most men's international titles (2) and most women's international titles (2) as well as the most European Championship titles (2) and Euro Cup women's titles (4). The sport in Ireland is governed by AFL Ireland which is a member of AFL Europe. History One could argue that the Irish have been playing Australian rules as early as the 1870s, as recent evidence suggests that a form of football being played in south western Ireland at the time was played under Victorian rules in a fashion indistinguishable from that of the game played in Australia, and early on it was even played with a rugby ball, with a mark for catching the ball and with upright posts of the Australian game. It is not known how or when the Victorian rules were introduced to Ireland, however its legacy can be found in the written rules of the Commercials Club of County Limerick from the early 1880s which later, along with elements of soccer, formed the basis for Gaelic Football. Primarily Irish historians analysing accounts of the traditional Irish football caid and Gaelic Athletic Association codified rules against the Melbourne Football Club rules of 1959 and Victorian Rules of 1866 and 1877 and those of other codes appear to strongly indicate that Gaelic football originated as a hybrid of Australian Football and Association Football. Like Australian Football, this was in an effort to differentiate from rugby and was primarily based on the Victorian Rules of 1866 and 1877. For example early codified Gaelic called for Australian rules style behind posts (not present in caid and later removed) with 5 point goals scoring (later changed to 3) and 1 point "behind"s all borrowed from Australian Rules, and Rule 27 in reference to kicking styles, Rule 15 relating to foul play and rules dictating playing equipment appear to be directly borrowed from the Victorian