Marley, Co. Carlow

Photographed by R.Ryan and K.Healion, July 2020
This handball alley is mentioned in the 'Old Schools' entry to the Schools Folklore Collection
Read More......

Ardattin, Co. Carlow

Photographed by Á. Ryan, July 2020
Read More......

Borris, Co. Carlow

Photographed by R. Ryan and K. Healion, July 2020
Read More......

Carlow College, Co. Carlow

Carlow College, formerly St. Patrick's College,
Photograph included here with permission of Carlow College Archivist. The handball alleys visible in left hand middle-ground of main building were most likely demolished sometime between 2000-2006. A new structure now stands at this location. The buildings around the handball alleys were the college’s farm buildings.

There are a couple of references to handball in the collage archival material: One note says that the first mention of a ball court is an entry in the accounts on 8 December 1797 for expenses connected with a ball alley. Between 1820-1822 new ball courts and a gateway between them were erected at a cost of £157.15.4. The gateway would have been that into the farm buildings. These would be the courts demolished in the early 2000s. The boys attending the college subscribed £8 towards the cost. Another note makes reference to junior and senior handball leagues in operation in the college. The game died out during World War II and the years following due to a shortage of balls but there was a revival circa 1949-1950 and leagues were again organised.
This information was helpfully provided by the college archivist B. Deasy to E. Timoney in Nov 2018,

Read More......

Hacketstown, Co. Carlow

Hacketstown, Co. Carlow

Photographs provided by P.Garrison and N.O'Brien, October 2010 Read More......

Clonegall, Co.Carlow

Clonegall, Co.Carlow
Photographed by A.Ryan, September 2009
Information provided by K.Whelan
The side wall of former RIC building was use for playing handball. The play area was marked out with a cement floor and the alley had no side walls. This wall is now incorporated into larger building on the site of the former RIC building, which is opposite the entrance to Huntington Castle. It is still possible to make out rectangular shape of older wall in newer larger wall.
Read More......

Ballon, Co. Carlow [demolished]

Ballon, Co.Carlow. This alley is now demolished. The photographs date from 2003 and were sourced from the website of photographer Eddie Dawson, with permission [http://www.eddiedawson.com/publish/current/ed_9.shtml].
The alley had been in poor condition when one wall blew down in a storm some years ago. With no interest to rebuild it, the alley became a hazard for the national school beside it and was first blocked off, then knocked down when the road was widened.

Read More......

Tinryland, Co. Carlow

Tinryland, Co. Carlow
Photographed August 2008, by S.Ryan
Read More......

Kildavin, Co. Carlow

Kildavin, Co. Carlow Photographed August 2008, by S.Ryan Read More......

Garryhill, Co. Carlow

Garryhill, Co. Carlow Photographed August 2008, by S. Ryan. Interior photograph and photo of alley history by E. Timoney in October 2022. Garryhill Handball Club (transcribed from photograph) Garryhill Handball Club is situated at the foothills of Mount Leinster, 6 miles from Borris, 6 miles from Bagnelstown, 3 miles from Myshall and 3 miles from Fenagh. It is on the main Fenagh/ Borris road. Our club was founded in 1924 by Fr. Thomas Prendergast. It soon became the centre of the local community. In 1940, the first All Ireland title came to the club when Paddy Ryan and Davy McDonald won the Junior All Ireland 60x30 softball doubles title. There was a lull in activities in the 1940s and early 1950s because of the Second World War. In the 1960s the club was reformed under a very young and energetic committee and it bore results in 1966 when Andy Ryan won Carlow's first ever Leinster Minor title. In 1970 with 4 pounds in the kitty, the committee decided a new court was needed. A site was donated by a local farmer, John Handrick, and the club realised its dream when the new 60 x30 court was opened by the then Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, Bishop Patrick Lennon, himself a handballer of note. It was no conincidence that this was the start of the club's most successful period of achievement on the playing court. Since the early eighties and up to the present day the club has won several Leinster and National titles together with a couple of World titles. These titles were won at all levels from under 14 years up to masters. The girls also played their part in bringing honour to the club with several All Ireland titles to their names. This year as one of the best clubs of Féile we would like to wish Myshall Community the best of luck in the national "Pide of Place" competition. Read More......