2016 Season

Our beginnings and our plans for the future

This year the Munster Cricket Union celebrates its 60th Anniversary. This is a time for both a nostalgic lookback to our beginnings, together with a look forward with courage and optimism to a bright but challenging future.

A meeting of Munster cricket clubs was held in Limerick in February 1955, which was attended by officials of the Irish Cricket Union, where it was agreed unanimously to develop plans for a Munster Cricket Union. The following November, at a further meeting in Cork, the formation of the Union was agreed and draft rules were drawn up for the new body. The Inaugural Meeting of the Munster Cricket Union was held in Cahir in early February 1956 at which Mr. W.E. Williams of Cork County presided and the new rules were adopted. It was reported at the time that this meeting was very well attended with representatives from most of the clubs in Munster at the time. Indeed based on the committee elected at that meeting it would appear that Wanderers CC (Cork) Catholic Institute CC (Limerick) and Tramore CC were the only active clubs at the time that were not listed. The meeting was also attended by J. C. (Jimmy) Boucher, then Honorary Secretary of Irish Cricket Union, one of Ireland’s best known cricketers of his era, who promised those present that the Irish Cricket Union would give every co-operation and help in fostering the interests of cricket in Munster. The Officers and Committee elected at the meeting were: President Mr. J.H. Jackson, Cork County; Vice-presidents: T.C. Williams, Cahir Park CC; S. Ringrose, LPYMA; C. C. G. (Cyril) O’Donnell, Cork Constitution; W.E. Williams, Cork County; M.V. (Matt) Gough, Lismore and Major Paddy Pole-Carew, Cahir Park; Hon. Secretary, Mr. A.P. (Percy) Harris, Cahir Park; hon. treasurer, Mr. Frank Short, CICYMS; Assistant Secretary, Mr. Bob McMullan, Bohemians CC. Two of those elected went on to become Presidents of the Irish Cricket Union, namely Cyril O’Donnell (1963) and Percy Harris (1972).

Prior to the establishment of the MCU Cork County CC, which had joined the ICU from the time of its formation in 1923, looked after and organised cricket throughout Munster for the following 33 years – indeed Sir George Colthurst of Cork County was elected President of the ICU in both 1927 and 1930. Others from Munster that have been President of the ICU include N.C. (Noel) O’Mahony, Cork County (1979), P.J. Dineen, Cork County, (1987) and Eoin McCann, Limerick, (2002).

Unfortunately the first season of the MCU was a difficult one and the league competitions had to be declared null and void, through a combination of poor weather, and an outbreak of polio in Cork city and county, which started in June and resulted in 220 cases and five deaths before epidemic was considered over. Some government departments advised against unnecessary travel into or out of Cork during the height of the epidemic. Over the years since then we have had several seasons badly affected by the weather – fortunately, thanks to vaccination programmes, interference from infectious diseases has not been a problem. However, there was also some good news in that first season as 3 further clubs joined the MCU.

The game as played in the mid-1950’s differed to that played in competitive cricket in Munster nowadays. Matches were played on a time basis; limited overs cricket was still some years away. Playing for an “honourable draw” in fading light was a feature of league and friendly matches. There were no artificial pitches and grass pitches were uncovered. Protective helmets, arm, chest and thigh pads were not used and batting gloves were not of the quality in use today, so damaged fingers were common. Television was yet to come to Munster and cricket lovers had to rely on BBC radio and the next day’s newspapers for coverage of the game.

In the 60 years since our foundation, many changes have occurred. Cricket clubs from those early days, such as Cahir Park, Tramore, and Cork Constitution ceased playing in the early 1960’s. More recently, the Church of Ireland club, who had moved to their present grounds in Garryduff in or about 1970, ceased playing cricket. The Wanderers and Bohemians clubs, that remained as tenants of the Mardyke grounds, merged into Cork County in 1987 and LPYMA and Catholic Institute merged into Limerick CC a year later; Waterford CC, founded in 1897, faded in the 1940s, but a new club of the same name reactivated and got involved competitively in the late 1960’s and was quite successful especially in the1980’s to the early 1990s; folded in 1992. However new clubs also came on the scene. Cork Harlequins were one of the first when they formed in 1967 based at their present grounds at Farmers Cross. They were followed by the present Co. Kerry CC in 1988, though an earlier County Kerry CC existed previously. Co. Galway CC, the present club which was formed in 1971, joined the MCU in 1987 and has participated in our competitions since then. Midleton CC played competitively for the first time in 1999. Our newest clubs of the new Millennium and still actively participating are Tipperary County, formed in 2014 by the amalgamation of Nenagh (founded in 2005) and Thurles (founded in 2010) and North Kerry, which joined for the first time this year. Hopefully, if the Co. Clare club, which was founded in 2007, can get a home ground they shall become active again. Meanwhile some of their players have joined other clubs to ensure they keep ready and able.

From 1966 up to 2002 Munster competed in the Guinness Cup Interprovincial series, occasionally surprising their Leinster, Northern and North-Western opponents by achieving some honourable draws and even the occasional win. On the more local scene, up to the 1980’s Munster cricket competitions were limited to the Senior and Junior League and Cup. For most clubs the cricket season was composed of competitive matches, interspersed with friendly fixtures against clubs from within and outside the region, including occasional overseas visitors. Mid-week cricket leagues began in Waterford in the late 1970’s, possibly coinciding with the awareness of the game created by the main Waterford club itself. Some attribute the advent of multi-channel television in Cork in the early 1980’s to the emergence of taverner’s cricket in the city and its environs resulting in the burgeoning of many new clubs and social groupings. By the mid-1980’s this led to the idea of starting new formalised competitions for these clubs. The first such were the Minor League and Cup, which started in 1989. This encouraged even more clubs to be formed throughout the region, in West Cork, Kerry, Tipperary, Limerick, Waterford and Clare. The Minor League (now Division 2) and the Minor Cup Competitions are still contested keenly. The Towns Cup and League, which started in 1998, were quite short lived, finished in 2002, due to many clubs not having grounds of their own and also due to the organisational challenges of running and maintaining them. Actually the only two founding member clubs of the MCU that are still on the go are Cork County and Lismore, though the latter has sometimes dropped out for a few years, only to arise again. Having your own ground is a valuable tool for survival to any club.

Finally from a historical perspective, a word on schools’ cricket in Munster. It has been and to this day still poses a challenge. This is due in no small way, to the limited number of schools where cricket is an option and to the structure of the school year running from September to early June, which is not ideal for playing the game. Add to this the pressure; stress and importance of the examination system and the challenges become obvious. Nonetheless, the opportunity is there as the game provides a safe sporting activity and a chance for physical activity to support for and a break from mental activity. Mention should be made to the contributions of Presentation College Cork (PBC), Christian Brothers Cork (CBC), Midleton College, Newtown School, Bishop Foy’s School, Bandon Grammar School, Genstal Abbey School, Ashton College, and St. Mungret’s throughout our 60 years. It is very pleasing that the Munster Schools Competition is now running again, thanks to the efforts of a number of key individuals and this year’s final was a delight to attend and see such a keen and tightly fought game. Hopefully many more will follow.

So much for the past, but what of the future? Next year should see Munster back in Interprovincial action, at least at T20 level, after a break of 13 long years. Full Interprovincial status at the 50 over and 3 day level should follow provided we can prove our worth. The progress of our Youth players in recent years provides ground for optimism for the future. Irish Cricket is on the threshold of test Match status, having proved our credentials at limited over level since that great day at Sabina Park in 2007. One wonders what those founding members of the MCU in February 1956 would think of the present day status of the game here. Hopefully they would take at least a little pride in what they started!