Site of former alley on Wexford Street, Gorey

This alley on Wexford Street, Gorey, was demolished in 2005. The site of the alley was photographed by E. Timoney in December 2022. An article about the demolition of the alley appeared in the Gorey Guardian newspaper (see below) End of an era as handball alley makes way for new car park https://www.independent.ie/regionals/goreyguardian/news/end-of-an-era-as-handball-alley-makes-way-for-new-car-park-27268494.html January 27 2005 12:11 AM Gorey's old handball alley on Wexford Street is no more, and last week the official signing over and sale of the freehold from Gorey Town Council to Wexford County Council took place. Gorey Town Council Chairman Malcolm Byrne donned the chain to perform the official function for Town Clerk Liz Stanley. The 'ball alley' as it was fondly known for many years has quite a history, and will hold many memories for not just sports people, but probably for a lot of young courting couples as well.The site has been flattened for a carpark, something which will be welcomed by Gorey's frustrated motorists who are finding it increasingly difficult to find a free space in the town at peak periods. Gorey Handball Committee sold the site to the Council for 140,000 (pounds). The proceeds are to be presented to Gorey Community School this week towards the cost of a new handball complex at the school. It is hoped the alley will not only be of benefit to students, but also to the general public in the evenings. The presentation will take place in the Loch Garman Arms on Thursday, January 27, at 7p.m. Read More......

Templeludigan, Co. Wexford

Templeludigan, Co. Wexford. Photographs provided by O'Reilly family in April 2022. Handball club established 1931 Read More......

Ferns, Co. Wexford

These photographs from the Father Browne Collection were kindly provided by David Davison.
They are numbered 2.4.7 and 2.4.8 respectively and are both entitled 'HANDBALL AGAINST CASTLE WALL. FERNS, WEXFORD, IRELAND; 01/05/1930'. The following photographs were taken by E. Timoney in May 2023, with permission of staff of Ferns Castle Visitor Centre. The older aerial photograph is pre 1970s. The castle was restored in the 1970s. The plaster was removed from the wall and the moat recreated which had been filled in to make a floor for the handball court.

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Castlebridge, Co. Wexford

Castlebridge, Co. Wexford. Photographed by E. Timoney in May 2019. Interior photographs provided by Castlebridge Handball Club in April 2022 and in August 2023 by S.Power (bottom four photographs). For a history of handball in Castlebridge, see this article brought to our attention by J. Westlake http://www.shelmaliers.ie/2007/06/handball-club-history/
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Our Lady's Island, Co. Wexford

Location of former alley shown to E. Timoney in May 2018 by D.O’Doherty Read More......

Tullycanna, Co. Wexford

This alley was brought to our attention by K. Murphy (Ballymitty). Handball was played against this gable: the top right hand corner of the wall was built up to extend the play-wall surface. The window was always there, even when handball was played here. K.Whelan provided the following extract from Free Press September 16th 1950 entitled A Problem Solved "When digging holes for electric standards last week the E. S. B. workers made an excavation in the floor of a ball alley in Tullycanna. The same night the local handballers filled in the hole. Next day the E. S. B. opened it up again but it was refilled the same night. On the third morning the E.S.B. men took the hint and sank a new hole in a field outside the wall.” Photographed by E. Timoney, June 2019 Read More......

Coolgreany, Co. Wexford

Photographs and information provided by E. Timoney in October 2018. The alley was open and children were playing handball.Old photographs of unroofed alley provided by Patsy Murray.

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