History of Cricket in Leinster
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History
Cricket started in Leinster in 1830 and was played on open fields to the south of the canal at Upper Baggot Street. In 1838 permission was given to enclose an area in the Phoenix Park, 150 yards square near the Wellington Testimonial, which became home to the first club in Dublin, Phoenix CC.
For the rest of the Nineteenth Century the fortunes of cricket waxed and waned, with clubs starting up and folding. By the end of the century the political environment had changed and cricket was in decline and it was not until the second decade of the Twientieth Century that the game became properly organised and leagues and cups were set up.
Although a Junior Cup had been in existence 1910, it was not until 1919 that a proper Senior League was formed, made up of eight clubs. Over the years more clubs joined, and some went out of existence. The records from 1919, of both Senior and what was then called Junior Cricket in Leinster have been maintained thanks to the efforts of people like Derek Scott and Michael Sharp. These records now make up our archive and work is underway to transfer all the statistics, match reports etc into digital form that is viewable on the website.
Finally, reference should be made to the great work done by amateur historians in clubs across the province who have provided an enduring narrative of what it was like to play cricket in Ireland over nearly 200 years. This is an invaluable part of the history of the city of Dublin and also has contributed greatly to our understanding of the growth of the game.
The Leinster Cricket Archive
The Leinster Cricket Archive consists of competition records going back to 1919 [and for the Junior Cup to 1910]. There are details of individual player and career performances, club statistics, commentary, averages, club details and, it is hoped in the future, a photographic record of the growth of the sport in Dublin and Leinster.
