Early Days
There has been a very long tradition of cricket in that area of Co. Dublin which is known as Fingal. The game of cricket had originated in the “Big Houses” in England, and many of these landlords had properties in Ireland.
The first reference to cricket in Fingal appears in the diaries of Mrs Margaret Taylor of Ardgillan Demesne, close to where the village of the Hills now is. Mrs Taylor kept a social diary and there is a casual reference to a cricket match at Ardgillan in August 1829. The game appears to have been a very elaborate social occasion, and there would have been a very considerable amount of wining and dining. I was told many years ago by an elderly man that there is a field a couple of miles west of Balrothery village which has been known as the Cricket Field, and that this dates back to the 1860s. I also spoke to Tom Moore who was born in 1910, and he told me that his grandfather was always called Captain Moore, not because of his military exploits, but due to fact that he was captain of Knockbrack CC.
The Big Houses in the area fostered cricket in the 1860s and 1870s, and it was played at the demesnes of Milverton, Kenure, Ardgillan, Whitestown, Stadalt and WestTown. The landlords owned the cricket gear, and they got their tenants to make up teams. For example, Billy Tolan’s father played for the Woods of Whitestown against the Woods of Milverton in July 1888. It looked as if cricket would take root in Ireland as it had done in England, but two events in Irish history militated against the further spread of the game. The land wars of the 1880s made it difficult to reconcile playing cricket with the landlord one year, and shooting across the ditch at him the following year. The other major occurrence was the founding of the GAA in 1884 whose subsequent ban on foreign games practically wiped out the game of cricket in rural Ireland.
Why did cricket survive in Fingal ? Perhaps the fact that Fingal was inside the Pale was a contributory element, and it is also true that in the Fingal area, there were reasonably harmonious relations between landlords and tenants. Thus, this area was spared much of the bitterness which stemmed from the land wars. Also, the town of Skerries, with its sizeable Protestant population, developed as a seaside resort, and many visitors rented houses in the town during the summer. The railway was a very important source of communication and transport. Balbriggan was a busy manufacturing town, and it had a constant flow of migrant workers from England. Thoms Directory of 1891 refers to the existence of a cricket team in Balbriggan. For example, there are many references in the Irish Times during the period 1870 to 1990 to cricket games between Balbriggan and Gormanston Army, and between Skerries visitors and a team organised by Lord Holmpatrick. The very low scores obtained in the games was a very noticeable element of the score cards which are printed in the Irish Times. Games were often won with an innings score of 15.
There was an even spread of teams from Mulhuddart to Ballymadun to the Naul and up the coast to Malahide. The same was the case in Co. Meath where there were dozens of clubs. The County Meath League was established in 1920, and some teams from West Fingal entered it. During this period, Joe Corbally held the record for runs scored in a single innings (95), and this record stood for many years. Corbally often played for the Gentlemen of Meath as did James (the Squire) Ennis who was a brilliant wicket-keeper and a very positive influence in Fingal Cricket.
Founding of the Fingal League
The question was asked early in this article as to why cricket prospered in Fingal when it died out in the rest of rural Ireland. Arguably, the single most important factor was the establishment of the Fingal League in 1926. The League was formed at a meeting in the hotel in Balbriggan, with GL Mc Gowan as its first Chairman and Patrick Daly as Secretary. 18 teams entered the first Fingal League, and among the teams were Rush, Balbriggan, Skerries, Portrane, Oldtown, Knockbrack, Ballymadun, Naul, Balrothery, Clonard and Mulhuddard. In 1928, Rush became the first Fingal team to enter the Leinster League. Rush won the Leinster Junior Cup in 1930. During the first five years of its existence, the Fingal League was dominated by Knockbrack.
The present Fingal Cup was first played for in 1930. Billy Tolan’s father, Jem, opposed the purchasing of this cup because he thought that it might encourage the young players to drink. Twenty two teams entered the league, and it was divided into three sections, with each team playing home and away. Knockbrack entered a very strong second side called the “Mocklies”, and beat Knockbrack Firsts in the semi-final on the purpose built wicket at the Market Green, Balbriggan. Squire Ennis, captain of Knockbrack Firsts was out first ball.
First Fingal Cup Final, 7 August 1930, Market Green, Balbriggan.
This game was between Balcunnin (who played opposite the present Hills ground) and Knockbrack Seconds. The first game ended in tie, and the replay was held on 14 August. The admission price was 6d (2 ½ p = how many cent ?) for men. Women and children were allowed in free. The gate receipts were £38. 50, and it was estimated that the aggregate attendance for the two games was 2,000 people. Knockbrack were bowled out for 23, with Simon Hoare taking 4 wickets and Johnny Murphy taking 6 wickets. Balcunnin were 14 for 9, but the last wicket put on 8 runs, and they were dismissed for 22.
The Fingal Cup has been played for each year since. A knock out cup was introduced in 1962, and the first final was between Knockbrack and Balrothery. In 1963, the Man O War CC entered the Leinster League, and they were followed by Knockbrack in 1964. The Hills CC entered the Leinster League in 1970.
fuck off with your cricket.,
cricket is dumb you prick
Dead right, Joe. All it is is a bunch of inbred lads wearing helmets swinging wooden sticks at a ball before hanging out with the other team for tae and sangwidges. Only a complete cunt would engage in this sort of craic.
A blonde woman ran into a police station wailing. She claimed that she had been raped.
After she stopped sobbing, the Police Officer requested her for a description of the rapist. “He was tall and dressed in white. He was wearing all sorts of protective pads, gloves and helmet.”
“Hmmm…appears to be a cricketer,” concluded the policeman.
“Ah officer!” she confirmed, “then he must have been an English cricketer.”
“What makes you think that he was English? From the accent?” asked the officer.
No sir," she replied, “he just didn’t stay in very long.”
[QUOTE=“The Selfish Giant, post: 1089344, member: 80”]Early Days
There has been a very long tradition of cricket in that area of Co. Dublin which is known as Fingal. The game of cricket had originated in the “Big Houses” in England, and many of these landlords had properties in Ireland.
The first reference to cricket in Fingal appears in the diaries of Mrs Margaret Taylor of Ardgillan Demesne, close to where the village of the Hills now is. Mrs Taylor kept a social diary and there is a casual reference to a cricket match at Ardgillan in August 1829. The game appears to have been a very elaborate social occasion, and there would have been a very considerable amount of wining and dining. I was told many years ago by an elderly man that there is a field a couple of miles west of Balrothery village which has been known as the Cricket Field, and that this dates back to the 1860s. I also spoke to Tom Moore who was born in 1910, and he told me that his grandfather was always called Captain Moore, not because of his military exploits, but due to fact that he was captain of Knockbrack CC.
The Big Houses in the area fostered cricket in the 1860s and 1870s, and it was played at the demesnes of Milverton, Kenure, Ardgillan, Whitestown, Stadalt and WestTown. The landlords owned the cricket gear, and they got their tenants to make up teams. For example, Billy Tolan’s father played for the Woods of Whitestown against the Woods of Milverton in July 1888. It looked as if cricket would take root in Ireland as it had done in England, but two events in Irish history militated against the further spread of the game. The land wars of the 1880s made it difficult to reconcile playing cricket with the landlord one year, and shooting across the ditch at him the following year. The other major occurrence was the founding of the GAA in 1884 whose subsequent ban on foreign games practically wiped out the game of cricket in rural Ireland.
Why did cricket survive in Fingal ? Perhaps the fact that Fingal was inside the Pale was a contributory element, and it is also true that in the Fingal area, there were reasonably harmonious relations between landlords and tenants. Thus, this area was spared much of the bitterness which stemmed from the land wars. Also, the town of Skerries, with its sizeable Protestant population, developed as a seaside resort, and many visitors rented houses in the town during the summer. The railway was a very important source of communication and transport. Balbriggan was a busy manufacturing town, and it had a constant flow of migrant workers from England. Thoms Directory of 1891 refers to the existence of a cricket team in Balbriggan. For example, there are many references in the Irish Times during the period 1870 to 1990 to cricket games between Balbriggan and Gormanston Army, and between Skerries visitors and a team organised by Lord Holmpatrick. The very low scores obtained in the games was a very noticeable element of the score cards which are printed in the Irish Times. Games were often won with an innings score of 15.
There was an even spread of teams from Mulhuddart to Ballymadun to the Naul and up the coast to Malahide. The same was the case in Co. Meath where there were dozens of clubs. The County Meath League was established in 1920, and some teams from West Fingal entered it. During this period, Joe Corbally held the record for runs scored in a single innings (95), and this record stood for many years. Corbally often played for the Gentlemen of Meath as did James (the Squire) Ennis who was a brilliant wicket-keeper and a very positive influence in Fingal Cricket.
Founding of the Fingal League
The question was asked early in this article as to why cricket prospered in Fingal when it died out in the rest of rural Ireland. Arguably, the single most important factor was the establishment of the Fingal League in 1926. The League was formed at a meeting in the hotel in Balbriggan, with GL Mc Gowan as its first Chairman and Patrick Daly as Secretary. 18 teams entered the first Fingal League, and among the teams were Rush, Balbriggan, Skerries, Portrane, Oldtown, Knockbrack, Ballymadun, Naul, Balrothery, Clonard and Mulhuddard. In 1928, Rush became the first Fingal team to enter the Leinster League. Rush won the Leinster Junior Cup in 1930. During the first five years of its existence, the Fingal League was dominated by Knockbrack.
The present Fingal Cup was first played for in 1930. Billy Tolan’s father, Jem, opposed the purchasing of this cup because he thought that it might encourage the young players to drink. Twenty two teams entered the league, and it was divided into three sections, with each team playing home and away. Knockbrack entered a very strong second side called the “Mocklies”, and beat Knockbrack Firsts in the semi-final on the purpose built wicket at the Market Green, Balbriggan. Squire Ennis, captain of Knockbrack Firsts was out first ball.
First Fingal Cup Final, 7 August 1930, Market Green, Balbriggan.
This game was between Balcunnin (who played opposite the present Hills ground) and Knockbrack Seconds. The first game ended in tie, and the replay was held on 14 August. The admission price was 6d (2 ½ p = how many cent ?) for men. Women and children were allowed in free. The gate receipts were £38. 50, and it was estimated that the aggregate attendance for the two games was 2,000 people. Knockbrack were bowled out for 23, with Simon Hoare taking 4 wickets and Johnny Murphy taking 6 wickets. Balcunnin were 14 for 9, but the last wicket put on 8 runs, and they were dismissed for 22.
The Fingal Cup has been played for each year since. A knock out cup was introduced in 1962, and the first final was between Knockbrack and Balrothery. In 1963, the Man O War CC entered the Leinster League, and they were followed by Knockbrack in 1964. The Hills CC entered the Leinster League in 1970.[/QUOTE]
bumped for gola
Just thinking about this coincidentally. In my short stint living above in Skerries, I noticed a few cricket clubs around the place when driving about. Skerries, Rush etc. I would imagine this is unusual in Ireland, and in a rural part of Ireland too. While I was in Dublin, I always felt far away from the city, well, because I was.
I noticed when you head over the border into Meath, there’s a big presbyterian type hall or building. I can’t remember the townland. Is it a case that there are a lot of Protestants in this area, north Dublin, Meath who would have preferred cricket over GAA or rugby? Or would it have been a historically unionist area before partition? They even bring down the nordies for the motorcycle racing shur…
Great townland name around there called Man O’War.
I know it’s billy bullshit to assume protestants won’t play the GAA or will only play cricket, or that no fenians will touch a cricket bat, but them’s the way…
Ill field this one guys
People in Dublin & Fingal have historically had no interest in the rural xenophobic backward sports - still have little interest in spud hockey with very few players, bogball would have low enough numbers too
We like international global sports and we don’t associate irishness with playing shit sports
additionally, spudhocky is only popular in Tipp and surrounding counties- why would people in fingal play it?
In this case, in North Co Dublin, cricket IS a rural sport.