An illustration taken
from the Illustrated London News June 1850 shows a typical scene at a
cricket game.
Source: Carlow County
Library
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- Carlow Cricket Club 1930
- Source: 'Carloman'
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The Early Years
Horace William Rochfort of Clogrennane was the
founder of the Carlow Cricket Club. The date of the foundation of the club
is given
However the first cricket game to be played in the county was
thought to have taken place as early as 1823. It is to be noted that the
Phoenix Cricket Club in Dublin included a number of Carlow players on its
team. Men like Horace Rochfort, J. Hardy Alcock and Vigors were all active
in the club. Indeed, Edward Vigors Alcock was the secretary of Phoenix
from 1830-1852.
In May 1834 the following advertisement
appeared in the Carlow Sentinel:
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Carlow Cricket Club
The members of this CLUB are
requested to attend at the CRICKET GROUND, at BENEKERRY,
on FRIDAY next, the 30th inst, at noon. A full
attendance is expected, to admit new Members, and
transact the necessary business at the commencement of
the season.
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In Carlow, the grounds were at Bennekerry, a
short distance outside the town. This venue was on the lands of Beauchamps
B. Newton, Esquire. A notice from the Carlow Sentinel of May 1834 stated
that the Carlow Cricket Club "will meet at their ground at Bennekerry" on
the following Friday and on every Friday throughout the season. J.
Alexander Junior was the secretary of the club at that time. Home matches
against Kilkenny were played there too. In 1834, the committee elected to
manage the affairs of the club were William Fitzwilliam Burton Esq.,
Beauchamp B. Newton, Esq. and Henry Cary, Esq, members were obliged to pay
their membership subscription annually, in July or else they would be
removed from the register. By 1838, there were reports of a "Great Match"
between Carlow County Cricket Club and Phoenix, which was won by the
Carlow side.
Around this time, Clogrennane became the new
location for cricket in the county. The Kilkenny Cricket Club had been
established and the new venue was a convenient grounds for matches against
the neighbouring side. It is likely that the prominence of Rochfort in the
local club also gave rise to the decision to relocate. Cricket was
becoming increasingly popular among the ascendancy classes and it featured
frequently on their social calendar. Matches were arranged with clubs and
counties at further remove. For instance, Carlow played Meath in County
Meath with the return game being played at Clogrennane. On that occasion
Carlow won the "away" game but were defeated in the return match at their
home venue.
The principal game in the sporting year was
usually that against the Phoenix Club. Other fixtures were arranged with
clubs from neighbouring counties, chiefly Wexford and Kilkenny. The local
aristocratic families including the Alexander's and the Vigors were
prominent among those who were active in the game. After this period, the
Carlow team began to suffer a number of defeats. It became evident by the
1850's that cricket was going into decline in the County of Carlow.
Source: Carlow County
Library
- c1860 Photograph of Royal Engineers Cricket Team Dover
Kent
