Kilmainhamwood, Co. Meath

Photographs taken in March 2022 by P. Fitzpatrick, of historical photographs displayed in McKenna's pub in Kilmainhamwood, Co. Meath. The top photograph is dated to circa 1923. Read More......

Browne's Bar, Crossroads, Co. Donegal

Photographed by E.Timoney, Nov 2019. Information provided by P. S. Benny Browne.
This alley at Browne’s Bar, Crossroads was falling into disrepair and considered dangerous so it was demolished. All that remains of the Handball Alley is the floor and the wooden deck built on site of the alley.

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Fox's of Tooman, Co. Leitrim

Photographed by E. Timoney, Sept 2019.
This alley was located at the old Foxe's of Tooman pub, and was demolished last year as it was in a dangerous state. The large painted mural is on the wall into the newer bar. J.Fox confirmed that one of the windows was used as a hatch for the pub, and that the correct name is Fox's. There were mirrors in the old pub on which the glazer incorrectly engraved Foxe’s of Tooman on it.

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Masseytown, Macroom, Co. Cork

Located behind Mary Anne's pub.
No history known.
Photographs and information provided by A. Mac Carthy, Nov 2013 Read More......

Brady's Pub, Terenure, Dublin

Brady's Pub, Terenure, Dublin. Photographed Nov 2008 by E.Timoney. And in April 2013 (last photo) by M. Coffey. Information below from E.Timoney.
This alley at rear of pub is now a Beer Garden for pub with picnic tables and shrubs. According to customers an All Ireland Final was played in this alley but date needs to be confirmed. Recalled a Jack Coffey being a particularly good handballer.
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O'Tooles (Lord Mayors) pub, Swords, Co. Dublin

O'Tooles, near the Lord Mayor's Pub, Swords. Co.Dublin

"I was first told that there was an alley in Swords by Tom Byrne when I was trying to get information about the Boot Inn Alley in Cloghran, Co.Dublin. He told me there was an alley in Swords but is no longer there. It was beside the Lord Mayors pub in Swords. The pub was called O'Tooles at that time.
Bernadette Marks, of the Swords Historical Society, was most helpful and produced 4 old photographs which were taken by Liam Herron (known locally as Fresh) in the 1950s. The people in the photographs seem to be wearing their Sunday Best. Bernadette Marks tells me that the men sitting on a wall in the background of one of the photos would have been playing Pitch and Toss which was popular at the time." Enda Timoney

Photo of the Lord Mayor's Pub in Swords taken by Enda Timoney, January 2011.
Photos of handball being played in the 1950s were taken by Liam Herron. Read More......

Drumree, Co. Meath

Drumree, Co. Meath
(located near Gilsenan's public house)
Photographed August 2010, by E. Timoney Read More......

Aughcloggeen, Co. Galway

Aucloggeen, Co. Galway [demolished].
Information provided by M. Geogeghan, May 2010

Aucloggeen Alley of which only a part of the back wall remains was at the back of Kelly's Pub in Aucloggeen in Annaghdown Parish. The Alley was knocked over forty years ago for safety reasons and locals do not seem to remember handball being played there since World War II but recall the old people talking about playing in it. They do however remember locals playing handball against the wall of Kelly's thatched pub which was further up the road. Kelly's was knocked to build a modern premises there in the seventies and the pub was later sold on and reopened as Peggy's.

The Alley itself went from the road back towards the river with the high wall on the road side. The field can be seen on old OS maps as Ball Alley Plot. Read More......

Dunmore, Co.Galway

Dunmore, Co.Galway

Photographed and information collected in March 2010 by M. Geoghegan.
Two walls survive in the Dunmore ball alley which is no longer in use for handball. There is no exact record of when the alley was built but local historian Hubert Bermingham thinks that, from reports and information he has gathered through the years, the alley was built by the Loftus family who owned a public house on the site sometime in the middle of the 19th century. The front wall, which is in good condition, was built from local cut stone and when the alley was in use there were two side walls and a back wall which Hubert reckons was four to five feet high. Another local man recalls playing handball, football, soccer and football in the alley and he even recalls the odd fight taking place there!
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Touraneena, Co. Waterford

Tournaneena, Co. Waterford. Information and photographs provided by S. Ryan, Feb 2010.
This alley was built in 1930s. The front (play) wall was perpendicular to the road and the alley opened onto a lane down to bog land and faced onto the boundary of house next door. Land for the alley was provided by the pub across the road, which was on the right of way to their land (bog) down the lane. It fell into disrepair in the 1970s, was deemed unsafe and was knocked down. Some remaining flagstones are visible on the former alley floor which is now used as a carpark for the pub . Dances were held in this alley and were very popular with big-name show bands playing there. A small back wall was built to control admission into the alley for the dances. Information provided by local postman, T. Dunne.

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