skip to main |
skip to sidebar
A Handball Alley was situated on what is now the grounds of Naomh Fionnbarra GAA club in Cabra.
Photographed April 09 by E. Timoney
The historical photograph was kindly provided to E. Timoney by Martin Sneyd. It dates from the mid 1950s and shows part of the handball alley in the backgound of the high jump competition taking place. (Incidentally, the 4th child from left in front row has been identified as Mickey Whelan, former manager of the Dublin football team)
The following information on handball in Cabra obtained from the local Cabra Historical Group, [by E. Timoney]
Handball has been played in Cabra since at least the arrival of the Christian Brothers in the last century, when they opened the school for deaf boys, St. Joseph’s, and erected a long single-walled ball alley in the playground there, on which three matches could be played simultaneously, thus bringing twelve boys into action at the same time.
Handball was very popular with both Brothers and boys alike in those old days, outsiders often coming in from the surrounding district for a game with enthusiasts like Brothers Dalton and Johnston and their contemporaries, several of whom were notable exponents.
Famous players also came in from different parts of the city to engage in exhibitions for the entertainment of the Brothers and the boys; in one such exhibition played in the 1920’s four of Ireland’s leading professionals took part – J.J. Kelly, Andy Durkin, Jack Bray and Jas. Clarke “of the Boot”.
Jim Clarke (Prussia Street) and his sons John, Jim, Austin and Frank, played there, the first named in the 1920’s and the others subsequently. The latter organized tournaments there in the 1920’s for youths from the Aughrim Street parish, noted at that period for its number of handballers, P.J.O’Neill, Con Healy, M.Reid, J.W. and C. Clarke being amongst those still remembered as taking part.
Read More......
Location and information on two demolished alleys gathered by E. Timoney, March 2020
The alleys were built in the 1950s but demolished in the 1980s.
From John Doyle, Enda Timoney learned where the alley site was located and about local Tyrrell Brothers who were good players. Staff at the local History Centre were equally helpful but knew of no photographs of the old alleys. They spotted Francie Tyrrell cycling past and stopped him. Francie (Christy) told Enda Timoney that his brothers (RIP) were also very good and Frankie was the best. Tony Geraghty was also good. As young boys they used to play at the back of the stores in the town where they would get into trouble and the lads would be looking out for the guards coming. They were involved with St. Mary’s Young Mens Assoc.
Locals decided to build an alley and the local council provided the site. Handball was very popular especially on a Sunday. As Francie said “there was nothing else to do”. They used to play for money to make it interesting. He said the walls were separating and becoming dangerous and they were demolished.
Read More......
Walsh Island, Co. Offaly
Photographed by E. Timoney, July 2009, A.Ryan August 2009 and again by E. Timoney in March 2020 (top photographs). Information below from Walsh Island GAA Club website
http://www.walshislandgaaclub.com/ballalley.html.
This alley was renovated in 2015, in connection with the construction of a large wind farm nearby.
The history of the Ball Alley in Walsh-Island commenced on the completion of the structure in 1913. Hand ball became a very popular sport in the following years and produced some great players from the area who won many medals and trophies namely Paudge Duffy, Sean McCann, George Whittle. Kenneth Whittle, Eric Whittle, Bill Bryan, Sean O'Shea, Dickie Shaughnessy, Pat Corcoran and Tom McCann. Those men won the prizes but a lot more took part in the sport and on Sunday mornings after mass there was a race to the alley to place your 3d on the wall for a game and it was first come first served. So popular was the sport that most Sunday's men waited up to three hours to play a game. All this came to an end when the ball alley went into disrepair in the mid sixties.
Some of the other events that took place there over the years were meetings, boxing competitions and many other festivities. The first big event was the training of the old I.R A. during the war of Independence and this landmark would hold deep affection for many of the relations who still live Walsh-Island and surrounding areas. In the boxing competition we were honoured to have the late Ned Mooney who was at the time the Irish Guard Champion in the British forces and who gave great enjoyment to all who watched him box. He never lost a match in the ball alley. May pole dancing was also another annual event and attracted large crowds every year. The biggest event that took place at the Alley was the homecoming of the local giant of a man Jack Berry after having spent a month in jail for breaking the law of not removing his animals and implements of land commissioned, land in which he was in dispute with over the breaking up of an adjoining estate. Jack was cousin of the late Colonel Eamon 'Ned' Broy who played such a major part in our war of Independence. Such was Jack Berry's strength that he was often seen walking the Pike Road with a trunk of a tree under each arm to be used for firewood.
In his seventies he could be seen riding his white stallion bare back through the streets of Portarlington. He was held in such high esteem in the area that his homecoming was the biggest event to be held in Walsh-Island. Local people collected loads of turf, sticks and tyres for a bonfire at the alley. He was carried shoulder high from the forge and the young people at the time lined up each side of the road with lit sods of turf which had been dipped in oil. The bonfire was lit and the festivities began with local musicians and dancers taking part in the all night entertainment.
Another big event took place on May 4th 1935 when the All Ireland Turf cutting competition was held in Monevane. Men from the four corners of Ireland took part in this event and the Taoiseach of the day Eamon De Valera cut the first sod. The main idea behind the turf cutting competition was to show Dev the vast amount of two of our natural resources namely peat and manpower. Fr Breen P.P. and Patrick Gormon came up with this idea, and after the turf cutting finished they took Dev to the Ball Alley so he could see the vast area of peat that surrounded Walsh-Island. He told the two men their idea could become a reality and he would have it discussed at cabinet level when he returned to Dublin. Within three years this did indeed become a reality and is known today as Bord Na Mona !
Read More......
Photographed by E. Timoney Oct 2019. Information provided by T. O'Keefe. A history of the alley and handball club by Jim Power is available at http://www.kilfanehandball.gaa.ie/history/club-origins (copied below).
The alley was roofed in 1974. A prominent successful local player was Liam Egan, who died very young in early 1960s. All medals won by him were donated to the club recently. A new state of the art 40x20 court is being constructed beside the old alley.
KILFANE BALL ALLEY
Jim Power
In the early years of the present century, football was very popular in the Kilfane area, and the local team gained considerable prominence in the County Championships. Interest faded and many of the older players turned to cricket which was fostered by the local big houses. The rising generation needed something more suited to their interests and energies. A number of them travelled outside the parish to play hurling and thereby achieved county and All Ireland status. However, there was not sufficient support for a local hurling team and towards the end of the second decade of this century some of the young men of the area began to travel to Closgregg to play handball in the local ball alley there, which was situated opposite where Flynn's house now stands.
Interest in the game increased, and a makeshift pitch was soon established at Boheranuisge Cross, with the gable-end of the Kennels as a front-wall and the roadway as a floor. It soon became evident that handball could count on local support and thoughts began to turn towards the idea of building a ball alley. Matters of national importance delayed plans, but finally a small group was set up to examine sites and report on their suitability. Because of building difficulties, and more especially costs, old ruins were of considerable interest and the site deemed most suitable was one such ruin adjacent to Kilfane Cross, known as Jude Dwyer's house, which was then owned by the Fitzgerald family of Waterford, who had sometime earlier acquired the adjoining lands from the Power Estate. Some of the committee had reservations about the site due to its proximity to the public house but of more immediate importance was the fact that the Fitzqeralds refused to sell. They suggested instead a location in Kilfane Quarry, part of which they also owned. It transpired however, that they did not own that part of the quarry considered most suitable but that Miss Power of Kilfane House had a claim to it.
When approached by some members of the founding group Miss Power was most enthusiastic and gave her consent and every encouragement. Her interest was threefold - her friend Lady Desart had sometime previously built a ball alley at Talbots Inch and she was anxious to do something similar. There was also the problem of trespassing at the Kennels which was increasing as interest in the game brought large numbers of young men to the area. And finally, in the difficult political climate that existed about this time she was anxious to be seen to be co-operative and helpful in the local community.
The original committee which was established in 1922 had the following five members:
Chairman - Pakie O'Brien, Castlegarden.
Secretary and Treasurer - John Holohan, Stoneen.
Members - Martin Doyle, Kilfane; Pat Dunne, Castlegarden; Jack Hennessy, Kilmurry.
Once the location was agreed, no time was lost in getting work underway. The long bank leading to the top of the Kiln in the Quarry had to be hacked away, and the chairman, Pakie O'Brien, marked the commencement of the work by digging the first sod. There was a tremendous response from all the local families; horses and carts were readily available to shift stones, sand etc. and all the young men of the area gave freely of their labour to excavate, level and develop the site. Plans were prepared to build a 60'x30' alley and by the end of the first year (1923) a front wall 30' wide and 20' high, with a floor area 30' long were completed.
All the members of the committee were present at the laying of the foundation and a proposal by Martin Doyle to place a silver coin under a corner stone was not accepted as the others felt it could have 'serious consequences.'
The first 6' over the foundation was built against the bank with voluntary help and consisted of a face wall with filling at the back. At this stage Dick Power, a local tradesman, was called in to finish the front wall and lay the floor. A stone showing the year 1923 was built into the top of the wall.
In the following year (1924) a small portion of a left-hand side wall measuring approximately 10' x15' was built in mass concrete by Pat Kealy and Matty O'Keeffe, with local help. In 1926 a dancing platform which had been used for a couple of years at the Cross of Killarney became available and John Holohan, realising its potential as makeshift sidewalls, lost no time in doing a deal. The panels of the platform were transported from Killarney by Johnny Farrell on a cart belonging to the Fitzgeralds and were erected by voluntary labour.
Miss Power continued her interest and in this regard John Holohan played a vital role in keeping her informed about progress and development. So impressed was she by his enthusiasm and initiative that when a new drive for funds was launched in 1928, for the purpose of replacing the by now partly rotted wooden panels, she generously offered to pay for the whole project. This was then set out on contract to T. Brennan and was completed in 1929. It was officially opened on May 18th 1930 by Canon Drennan, P.P. Tullaherin, in the presence of Miss Power and Michael Davin (Chairman Kilkenny Handball Board). Kilfane had now one of the finest 'open' handball courts in the country.
After the opening an exhibition match was played between Kilfane and Talbots Inch which was won by the latter. Larry Walsh and Tommy Dormer combined to give the home club their only win after Jim Farrell and John Savage and J. Lanigan and Tom Walsh had been beaten in the first two games.
It is interesting to note that at this time there could be an 'over'ball as well as a 'short' ball, the 'over' line being at the end of the side wall 60' from the front wall. A skilled tosser could require his opponent to hit the ball from 70 - 75' in order to reach the front wall.
Money was scarce generally and funds for building were hard to come by. Raffles, house-to-house collections, appeals to the gentry, dances, card games and handball tournaments all formed part of the work of the committee. Meetings tended to be irregular but nevertheless the work was done. When the weather was fine they were generally held in the open or under the Kiln adjacent to the ball-alley and during the Winter and on wet evenings they were held in the Kennels, access to which was gained by jumping the high surrounding wall. These meetings were held without any lighting for fear of attracting the owner's attention.
Club members participated in tournaments all over the County and visits to or from the following clubs were a feature in the earlier years: The Slate Quarries, Ballyane, Ullard, Goresbridge, Kells and Talbots Inch. The Slate Quarries and Ballyane were particularly friendly with Kilfane and Socials always followed these matches. Travel was generally by bicycle except to the more distant venues where an open lorry with loose seats was provided.
As handball became more popular nationally four-walled courts increased in numbers and in order to keep pace with developments the local club started to consider the provision of a back-wall which would in turn require a gallery or spectator area. Once more Miss Power came to the rescue and by her generosity it was possible to have the work completed by contract in the Spring of 1932 at a total cost of £300. The completed court was opened and blessed by Canon Drennan on June 5th 1932. The day's proceedings were reported in The Kilkenny Journal as follows:
On Sunday last V. Rev. Canon Drennan P.P. presided at the opening of Kilfane Handball Court in the presence of upwards of 200 spectators. Miss May Power, Kilfane; Mr. Eamonn Purcell (Chairman of Kilkenny County Handball Board); Mr. C. Scully (Hon. Sec. do.) were also present. Kilfane Court is today one of the finest in the country due to the generosity of Miss Power who has done so much to keep the game alive in the district. During the past 12 months she has been the means of having a splendid new floor, a back wall and a spacious gallery provided.
A special word of thanks is also due to Mr. Sean Holohan for his great efforts in furthering the interests of handball in Kilfane. It is over 9 years since Sean and some other handball enthusiasts first contemplated the building of a handball court.
During the afternoon some fine games were witnessed between players from Talbot's Inch and The City and Goresbridge which resulted in a 2 games to 1 win for the Kilkenny men. The Powerstown Pipe Band discoursed some very fine selections of music at intervals. The Court was nicely festooned with appropriate mottoes in Gaelic and streamers all around the walls. The Kilkenny contingent arrived just at the right moment to fall in behind the band and make up a long procession to the ball-court. Canon Drennan declared the court open and threw in the ball for the first game.
The period immediately after the opening was a great time in the annals of the Club, not because of games won and lost, but because of the general activity that developed as a result of the back-wall. In October 1933 Paddy Perry who was All Ireland champion for the three previous years played Paddy Reid who was Tailteann Champion and All Ireland finalist in 1932. An additional platform had to be erected that day, but so great was the crowd that many still did not see the game. The Army Champions, Finnegan and Gallagher, played the same day and much to the delight of the crowd were beaten by the local pair Paddy Power and Frank Minogue, who the previous month had won the county junior doubles title.
To coincide with the new development a Gaelic League class was started in Kilfane which was attended by most of the members of the handball club. This helped to provide a meeting place and a place where plans for the ball alley could be discussed and developed. The letters for the plaque on the side of the alley were designed by Eoghan O’Kelly, the teacher, and were cut by members of the class.
During the first twelve years or so there were very few changes on the committee and in addition to those already mentioned the following also acted at different times: Jim Farrell, Matty O'Keeffe, Paddy Doyle, Larry Walsh, Mickey Kealy, Bobbie Dormer, Jim Power, Mick Walsh and Willie O'Keeffe.
The outstanding player of the twenties was Jim Farrell who in partnership with John Holohan formed one of the outstanding pairs in the county. Other players of the twenties and thirties included Mickey Kealy, Jack and Dan Savage, The Dormer Brothers - Bobbie, Tonmy and Johnny, Paddy Dunphy, Frank Minogue, Larry and Mick Walsh, Tommy Reddy, Martin Doyle, Willie O'Keeffe and Jimmy O'Shea. Team-of-six championships were the principal attraction in these years because they generated greater interest in the club than the higher standard singles and doubles. It was difficult to get an evenly balanced six and very often teams had a weak tail. The team that brought the first win to Kilfane had no such weakness as each of the three pairs could tackle the best -Jim Farrell and John Holohan; Paddy Power and Mickey Kealy; Jack Savage and Jimmy O'Shea; were as good a six as could be found in any club. Their only drawback was lack of experience at back-wall play, but they quickly overcame this and a win was well merited in 1933. This was followed by further wins in 1934 and 1935; junior doubles wins in 1933-34-35, junior singles in 1935 and two lost finals in between. In 1934 also Paddy Power brought All Ireland glory to Kilfane when, in partnership with Alfie Cullen of Talbot's Inch and representing Kilkenny, he won the all Ireland Junior Doubles title of that year.
The depression of the thirties, however, took its toll of the membership. Many emigrated seeking employment and those left at home suffered from lack of funds and encouraging companionship. From 1936-1939 there was absolutely no money in the club, and it took the private money of members to keep the flag flying. Nevertheless the club continued to be represented at tournament and championship games. Successes were few but the game survived. There were some young players coming up who were showing great promise and in the very last year of the decade Kilfane were again in the County Final of the team-of-six only to be beaten by Ullard.
Read More......
Cloonturk, Co. Leitrim
Photographed by E. Timoney, Sept 2019. Local man, G.Reynolds who played handball here told of the prominent players of the past – Willie Molloy, Willie Mc Namara (Dromod) and Tommy Hackett.
Read More......
Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal
This alley was 're-opened' in 2014.
It was visited and photographed by E. Timoney in Aug 2019. Earlier photographs (final 2 photographs) shown on this website date from 2009 and were taken by E. Timoney in May 2009. The B+W photograph is from the book '100 Years of Handball, Handball, Dongeal and the World', by Pat Holland, published by Voice Books in 2004
Following text from http://www.geocities.com/johngall_99/ballyshannon4050_1.html
The Handball Alley was one of the busiest sports arenas in the town, some of the people who frequented the Alley at that time were Jimmy Rogan, Francie “Titsie” Daly, Dutchie Darcy, Sylvester Maguire Snr., Johnnie Moore, Willie Daly, Dermott Lapsley, Tom, Packie and Francie Gallagher, Jody, Patsy, Eddie and Charlie Rooney, Jim and John Askin, Frankie and Jim Kerrigan, Maurice Murray, Dennis Patton, Mickey Gillen, Jim White, Dan and Benny Dorrian, John, Paddy and Cormac Mc Cready, Thomas Duffy, Jimmy Rooney, Jimmy Coyle, Michael Donagher, Michael White, John, Seamus and Patrick Coyle, Mickey Keenan, Michael Mc Govern, Michael Gallagher, Paddy and Kevin Begley, P.J. Coughlin, Paddy Donagher, Blackie Coyle, Paddy and Alo Hoey, Willie and John Mc Allister, Brendan Farrelly, Sean Mc Dermott, Roger and James Mc Ginley, Francis Smith, Danny, Jack and Jim Downey, Seamie Granaghan, Seamus Darcy, Fergal Gildea, Dennis Lawn. With the help of Francie Gallagher, those listed above are the names that come to mind. The older fellows always took control of the big alley while the younger lads used the side alley, during the summer’s the alley would be packed, it was always a pleasure to sit and watch a good game of handball. Someone who was known to all at that time blew a hole in the Alley in 1957, regardless of this person’s treachery the damage was repaired immediately.
The Handball alley was also a popular venue for Open Air Ceilis on the odd Sunday evenings during the summer; Cyril Curran and his Assaroe Ceili Band usually provided the music, this was a very popular event for young and old.
Handball Alley Shadowmen, poem by Michael Herron
Ideal companions for comely,crossroads maidens
the Sunday handballers were dancelords
in billowing white shirts and best suit trousers,
watched by older heroes in peaked caps
from behind a knowledge cloud
of Sweet Afton and Woodbine.
Great parochial tournaments mythologising
ordinary men, even the occasional cornerboy,
Celtic gladiators in a concrete arena.
Hard earned appreciation of oldened players,
applauding quietly the clever use of angle and wall.
Hand in,hand out,hand in,hand out,
and savage laughter at a misjudged bounce,
an unanswerable butt greeted by a knowing wink.
How safe we were back then,
mere boys surrounded by a casual posse of Raleighs,
jumbled on the grassbank,
waiting our chance to shine in a Sunday game.
Sitting recently on the crumbling steps,
at the back of the alley,
I found another constant broken,
the front wall scarred by a lightning crack,
the drift of litter and leaves from corner to corner
the only movement now in this forgotten Ulster colosseum.
All the old players scattered,
leaving only handball alley shadowmen.
Read More......
Kilmannon, Cleariestown, Co. Wexford
Photographs and information provided by S. Berry, December 2012
"The old ball alley in Kilmannon, Clearliestown, Co Wexford was built in late 1800's and comprised of a front wall and two short sidewalls. The floor area was twice as wide at the back as the front. In the mid-30's, sidewalls were extended and back wall was added. During the 40's, the old wall began to crumble and a new committee built them. In 1947, Lar Duggan and Charlie Drumgoole won the All Ireland junior handball doubles title out of Kilmannon.
In the 1950's a new enthusiasm for handball hit the area and multi-All-Ireland champion the late John "Bull" Ryan played out of Kilmannon. The late Tommy O'Dowd was another local All-Ireland champion winning the junior handball singles title in 1963. In 1985, new wire was put on the top of the walls and important maintenance was completed. In 2000, the ball alley played an important role for the local St. Annes hurling team who spent many hours in the alley honing their hurling skills in their historic double winning year. The alley is still very much in use to-day."
Read More......
