Falcarragh, Co.Donegal

These two 3-wall alleys are located beside Cloughaneely Golf club in Falcarragh on grounds of former Ballyconnell House. The house and grounds were purchased by the Congested Districts Board in 1917, occupied by the Irish Republican Brotherhood in 1921 and the Free State Forces in 1922 during the Civil War. The property was purchased by the Office of Public Works in 1926 and offered to the Loreto nuns 1927 who used it as a preparatory college for female primary school teachers until 1961. It was purchased by the Catholic Diocese of Raphoe, for use as a boys’ secondary school (and boarding school) from 1965 until 1986. In 1987 it was purchased by Udarás na Gaeltachta and was used as a Gaeltacht school\Irish college until recent years. For more information on house and grounds (handball alleys not mentioned) see National Inventory of Irish Heritage: Main House (reg nr. 40812001) - https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/40812001/ballyconnell-house-ballyconnell-falcarragh-donegal; Walled Garden (reg nr. 40812005) https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/40812005/ballyconnell-house-ballyconnell-falcarragh-donegal The Handball Alleys were constructed sometime post 1917. At some stage the local Mart converted them adding blockwork walls to create animal pens. It is no longer used for this and are overgrown with trees and bushes. The walls of the alleys are in excellent condition. Interestingly the “short lines” for handball are small inserted tiles. Very close to this location is Cloughaneely GAA club which has an outdoor 3 wall alley attached to the club house. The alley has been converted to a storage shed. There is a 40x20 alley inside the club house. Photographs and information by E.Timoney, July 2021 Read More......

Daingean Reform School

Profile of pair of side by side alleys visible in background to right of main building (top photo) and behind boundary wall (other phoots). Photographs by E. Timoney in March 2020

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St. Malachy's College, Belfast

St. Malachy's College, Belfast.
Photograph provided by anonymous Jan 2020 Read More......

All Hallows Catholic Missionary College, Dublin

This alley was on the grounds of the former All Hallows Catholic Missionary College. The photograph from an College Annual, was photographed E.Timoney with permission from the All Hallows Librarian in 2019.
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St. Flannan's College, Ennis, Co.Clare

Alleys in St. Flannan’s College, Ennis, Co. Clare photographed in Oct. 2019 by E. Timoney
A total of 4 60x30 alleys, 2 of which are in use, mostly for hurling. Hurling played on the outside side wall also. Separate 40x20 alley opened in 1981.
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St. Mel's College Longford Town

Photograph provided by P. Fitzpatrick, Oct 2019 Read More......

St. Vincent's Castleknock College, Co. Dublin

St. Vincent's Castleknock College, Co. Dublin. These alleys were demolished when new classrooms were constructed. Copy of photograph from 1925 provided by school secretary G.Mc Connville to E. Timoney, Aug 2019.
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St. Enda's College, Rathfarnhman, Co. Dublin

St. Enda's College, Rathfarnham, Co. Dublin.
Historic photograph and news clippings on handball in St. Enda’s (dating to 1959) provided by B. Crowley, Office of Public Works, in Nov 2018. Handball is mentioned as one of the sports played in the school in the prospectus accessible here - http://pearsemuseum.ie/resources/
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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,

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Thurles CBS, Co. Tipperary

Photographs of alleys at this CBS school in Thurles, showing walls now plastered for playing hurling. Photographs by N. Cahill, Jan 2019. Top photographs provided in Feb 2021,  Read More......