ABOUT THE GARDA CRICKET CLUB

While the game of Cricket has a long and rich history, the Garda Cricket Club is realtively in its infancy. The Garda Cricket Club was founded in August 1985, mainly among members of C.D.U. and S.D.U. As August hearalded the end of the cricket season, which runs from May to September, only one match was played in that first season. The following year the club played an impressive 26 matches and won 20. 1987 also saw the setting up of the Garda Ladies Team.

THE IVEAGH GROUNDS

In 1988 both teams joined the Leinster Cricket Union and League Cricket came to the Garda Club. The club had used the Garda grounds in the Phoenix Park up to this time. However, the ground was not suitable for League Cricket due to the condition of the outfield. Thus, the home of the Garda Cricket Club became the Iveagh Grounds in Crumlin, Dublin with the gracious permission of the Guinness Atheltic Union. The club spent eight happy and productive seasons at the Iveagh Grounds.

During the course of these years, both teams thrived in their respective competitions with the men's team promoted in successive seasons. The men's team also won the Griffith & Haw Cup and Whelan Cup competitions. It was with regret that the Garda Club had to leave the Iveagh Grounds as development work there made the ground unsuitable for Cricket.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

The club returned close to its spiritual home in the Phoenix Park. This time, the club became tenants of the Civil Service Cricket Club. While the standard of cricket in Leinster has increased markedly over the years, the Garda Cricket Club has continued to hold it's own. The club has dominated the Phoenix Tankard, an annual fixture played between the Gardai and the Army. The club has more recently commenced annual games against the PSNI, the police forces in Nothern Ireland, in a competition for the Mark Singh Cup. Matches are played north and south of the border on simultaneous seasons.

Another success story of the club has been the "Taverners" team. In the field of sport the Taverners ideal must be a unique idea. The rules of the game have been fine tuned to allow all players maximum involvement in the game. The matches are played on weekday evenings and the emphasis is very much on the fun element of the game. Taverners cater for all abilities and ages.

THE FUTURE

The Garda Cricket Club has built up a reputation as a very attractive fixture. This is due to our emphasis in these games on the fun factor and the Garda ability to socialise and entertain apres match. As is often the case, under such circumstances the club has suffered from the limits imposed on it by being tenants of another club. The membership and player pool have both grown in recent years and the club is limited in only being able to put out one male team due to the lack of playing facilities.

Today, the Garda Cricket Club boasts one of the most respected teams in Lenister cricket, being a side possessing enormous talent and a good balance of youth and experience. The only way forward is the acquistion of our own ground to permit the club and it's members the ability to build momentum for future Garda sides.