Smith sets the world alight

Smith sets the world alight

12 November 2025

BALLYKINLAR’S Roisin Smith has been crowned a double champion at the IEPF World 8-Ball Pool Championships in Ennis, Co Clare.

Alongside her partner, Ashleigh Dinsmore, Northern Ireland star Smith claimed her first success in the knockout doubles tournament, beating Ireland, France and a pair of competitors from her own nation, Emma Cunningham and Vicky Lomax, before dispatching England in the final.

Her second triumph came in the team event, in which Team NI sailed through the group stage, consisting of England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

A top-two finish guaranteed direct passage to the semi-finals, where they beat the English 8-4. 

There was no stopping Smith and her teammates as they entered the decider either, and while France put up a fight, they too were handed an 8-4 defeat.

The glory did not stop there, as Newry’s Cunningham won the singles, completing a historic ‘golden treble’ for the Nordies.

It is a milestone moment for Smith, 38, who began playing for her nation at the age of 23, and although it is not her first taste of success, previously being part of the NI team which won the European Black-Ball Association Nations Cup in 2019, it is the one that means the most.

“World Championships are the pinnacle of any sport, they’re the ultimate goal. It’s maybe something I didn’t expect to happen, and it’s fantastic to not only play at the top level, but also win at the upper echelon of the sport,” she said.

The Ballykinlar hot-shot may now be at the top of her game, but while she possessed the talent from a young age, her rise was gradual, rather than immediate.

“I got into pool because my dad played in local leagues and taught me how to play when I was younger. I’m very competitive and took it quite seriously even then,” she stated.

“I started playing in the Lecale League for Ballykinlar Ladies and was invited on to the Northern Ireland Tour, which is aimed at getting women playing competitive pool, at 17.

“That led to being asked to play for the Northern Ireland team, but I chose not to then because you had to have a chaperone and a curfew. Instead, I went to University and tried out, successfully, for the national team at 23.”

Since then, Smith has gone from strength to strength, performing at the level needed to compete at the top of the sport, but admits it does not come without hard work.

“We have a tour that we play in, the NIPO Ladies, which runs through the year, taking the form of County Opens, one for each in the country, and there’s two majors within each season, the NI Masters and the NI Championships.

“There’s a points system for national team selection and in order to achieve the total you need, we need to practice a few times a week, particularly when the big tournaments are coming up.”

Already targeting further glory, Smith is now looking towards February’s European Championships, in Cyprus, as a route to further silverware, before attempting to defend the world title in Morocco next August.

However, she admits her greatest ambition is to help grow the sport amongst women at the grassroots level.

“I’m keen to promote and raise the profile of the sport. The most important thing is getting more girls involved in pool,” she added.

“Some of us fell into it through luck and many girls, who are perhaps playing in the local leagues, may not be aware that you can play on the international stage.

“I really want to continue to compete at the top, win more titles and help develop the grassroots side of things at home. We’ve already had a lot more interest since winning the World Championship and now, the sky is the limit.”