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Saint Brigids Club
A stronghold of ladies handball
http://www.stbrigidsgaa.com/Sections/Handball/
This Club as well as giving us the handballing Kennedy's and coach Enda Timoney has also been a great promoter of Ladies Handball.
The late Shay O'Reilly did much to encourage the ladies and many National and World titles reflect all the work that has gone in to promoting handball in this club.
Gael Linn, National League and 40x20 Competitions
Dublin ‘Gael Linn’ Successes 1954 - 1980
One of the greatest competitions in handball was the Gael Linn Cup, first played in 1954. This was a singles competition run on a time basis – whoever was ahead after thirty minutes was the winner. Everyone regardless of grade could enter. It was won on two occasions, 1955 and 1957, by the fabled Des Dillon who gave great service to Dublin colours for a number of years and three times in the seventies (’72, ’74, ’75) by Pakie Ryan. Interestingly both of these players originally came from Clare. The only other Dublin winner was Fintan Confrey in 1966. This competition has since been discontinued.
National League, Top Ace and All–Ireland Inter Club 1965 – 2000
The National League was first played in 1965 and Dublin victories came in 1969, and 1983. The competition is no longer run and was replaced by the ‘Team of 8’ inter county competition which includes mixed grades.
In 1973 RTE commenced broadcasting the Top Ace series. This competition generated great interest nationwide and was shown on TV over a few weeks. Dublin players who acquitted themselves well in this competition include Pakie Ryan who won it in 1981, Joe O’Brien a runner up, ‘Black’ Pat Ryan and Andy Byrne.
The All Ireland Inter Club championships commenced in 1969. Dublin had its first success in 1974 when St. Malachys team of P. Ryan, P. Masterson, P. Farrell and P. Murray won the Senior 60 x 30 title. In the same year Naomh Padraigh’s team of T. Hurley, A. Byrne, N. Cahill, M.Brady won the Senior 40 X 20 title. St. Malachys team of P. Ryan, P. Murray, E. Smith and A. Buckley won the Junior 40 x 20 title and to complete the successes of that year Naomh Padraigh’s team of P. Duignam, J. Warren, W. Rogers and P. Grange won the Novice 40 x 20 title. In 1978, 1983, 1984, 1993, and 1995, Baldonnell, Na Fianna, St. Malachys, Garda, and Naomh Padraigh respectively won Novice Inter Club titles in either 60 x 30 or 40 x 20. The Garda also went on to win Junior and Senior Inter Club titles in 1989 and 1996. To illustrate the strength of Senior inter club competition in Dublin it is interesting to note that some weeks after the Garda club won the all-Ireland Senior Club title in 1996 they were beaten by Na Fianna in the Dublin Senior League semi final, and Na Fianna in turn were beaten by Naomh Padraigh in the final.
40 x 20 Handball ‘International’ Code introduced to Ireland 1974
Following the success of the World Championships in 1970 the Irish Handball Council decided to introduce another championship based on the American version of handball which had evolved from the original Irish game but was now played in a 40 feet by 20 feet court. The photograph to the right shows that the Irish in the USA had developed a wooden floored court with wooden back-wall at the turn of the last century. Na Fianna in Dublin did build a 60x30 court with a wooden floor but it was not until the 1970's that the first 40x20 was built in Ireland with a maplewood floor as standard and again Dublin led the way with the building of such a court in Oldtown.
Dublin players immediately took to this game and made a clean sweep of all the Inter Club competitions in this code in 1974. The cost of building such courts is considerably less than for a 60x30 court. So it will come as no surprise that all courts built in Dublin since the introduction of this code are of the 40x20 dimension.
Such courts were built in Oldtown, the ‘JJ Jennings court’ in Goatstown, Ceannaras in Croke Park, St. Maurs in Rush where Eamon Rigney was ever obliging when it came to hosting competitions, Erins Isle in Finglas, St. Brigids in Blanchardstown, Naomh Mearnog in Portmarnock, St. Vincents in Glasnevin, St. Kevins CBS in Ballygall Road, the Fire Station in Phibsboro, and colleges DCU, and UCD.
Following the introduction of the 40x20 code it did not take long for trans-Atlantic contacts and games to be organised. September 17th 1977 was a momentous day for Irish colleges handball. The UCD handball team of eleven players, captained by then Third Level Colleges Council Chairman and Dublin County Handball Board secretary Eamon O’Brien, left for New York on a three-week tour. Although the team organised their own competitions and accommodations through the Irish American Handball Association they travelled aboard the UCD chartered plane taking UCD soccer teams to the USA for the annual trip organised by the late Dr. Tony O’Neill.
Initially it was intended that UCD College appointed organisers in the USA would organise games for the team but this did not happen. By good fortune in the month prior to the trip Irish/American handballers were touring Ireland and Eamon O'Brien and Marcus Henry got involved with the trip and secured the very valuable help of the visitors for the UCD trip to the USA. The trip received featured coverage in the USHA ‘Handball’ publication Handball and featured in the ‘Our Boys’ publication at home in Ireland. In the USA Larry Dolan co-ordinated the trip and Mike Mc Donnell, Harry Hyde, Rosemarie Cristofari, and Jimmy Fitzpatrick helped make it a trip to remember.
Marcus Henry travelled as team coach and both Marcus and I jumped ship and stayed on in the USA. As Marcus explained on the Joe Duffy radio show some years ago, after threatening to shoot Senator Ted Kennedy, uair amhain nuair a bhi se ar meisce i Chicago, the US authorities decided that Marcus should be accompanied back to Ireland where he has continued to be one of Ireland's best known and loved handballers.
When I went to college in UCD in 1973, having come originally from Ballyporeen, County Tipperary, and then played handball again after we moved to Cashel, I always had an interest in the game so it was natural that I joined the Handball Club during Freshers week. Eugene Kennedy was the boss of the Club then and while I was a novice at best Eugene gave me great encouragement both as a player and also to get involved in administration.
I went on to become Chairman of handball's Third Level Colleges Council and got involved with the UCD Athletic Union Council. I noticed that the soccer players went yearly to the USA and decided that as well as a great adventure getting a UCD Handball team out to the USA might open up a whole new world for universities/colleges handball in Ireland. The first thing was to get the approval of the Athletic Union Council and the article to the left that was written by Dr. Tony O'Neill (RIP) of the AUC, and a former secretary of the FAI, set the plan in motion.
GROUND BREAKING TRIP:
The trip was ground breaking for many reasons not least of which was the fact that -
1. It was the first trip to the USA by an Irish University and was funded almost soley by the
students themselves save for a grant of IR£100 from the Irish Handball Council.
2. The trip got widespread coverage in the local Irish American papers and in the USHA
magazine that was the premier Handball magazine in the world at the time, and also
widespread coverage at home in Ireland in all the National papers.
3. The hosts included some major USA institutions such as the West Point Academy, the
Downtown Athletic Club, The New York Athletic Club and the Boston L-Street Club.
4. Jimmy Jacobs the top US handballer at the time and later promoter of heavyweight
boxing world champion Mike Tyson hosted an evening of games at his YMCA Club.
5. It opened the way for future trips by colleges and universities from Ireland.
6. It was the first time that the UCD Athletic Union Council recognised Handball with a
Colours award.
UCD beat the West Point Cadets but not World Boxing Champion Mike Tyson’s manager Jimmy Jacobs.
Probably the highlight of the trip for the team were the games against the late Jimmy Jacobs and his partner. Jimmy Jacobs, of Jewish extraction, was the top professional handball player in the USA for close to a decade and later became Mike Tyson’s first professional boxing manager. Jacobs and his partner beat each doubles partnership UCD sent in.
The UCD players had much more success against the famed West Point Academy, where a feature of the warm-ups by the cadets involved press-ups with one hand. UCD were not intimidated and won all but one of their matches. Other famed venues visited included the Boston L-Street YMCA, New York Athletic Club, and the New York Downtown Athletic Club from where the Heisman trophy for the top American collegiate footballer is presented. As well as the captain, current Dublin based players who were on that team included Jimmy Heffernan, Pat McGrath, Marcus Henry and Charlie Hamilton.
This trip opened the way for many more visits by Irish Colleges, and Dublin Colleges such as D.I.T. and DCU are now regular visitors to the USA and take part in the annual World Universities/Colleges championships.
Eoin Kennedy, Fionna Healy, Dessie Keegan, Paul Brady and Padraigh Gaffney are players who have acquitted themselves well in these competitions, with Eoin Kennedy having won the senior title outright.
A special commemorative medal of the trip was given by the Irish American Handball Asociation to each member of the team.
Pearl River was the teams base where the team was also shown the local night spots by Ulrika Horne and Deirdere Cox. And in the context of GAA games, a game of the dreaded sport 'soccer' was arranged with a local Catholic High School. However a chance for a few of the team to play football in Gaelic Park for Mayo led to the soccer match cancellation.
Pakie Ryan annexed the title in 1980. Pakie had won a Junior singles title in 1974, a feat more recently achieved by Frank Daly of Na Fianna 1997. Dublin did not see success at the senior grade again until more recently when the title was won by DCU student Eoin Kennedy of the St. Brigids Club, thus bridging an over-20-year gap.
1984 GAA Centenary year in Dublin
To celebrate Centenary year the Irish Handball Council ran special centenary competitions. Jimmy Heffernan and Pat Griffin won the Novice 40x20 and Novice 60x30 singles competitions respectively. In Dublin, Naomh Padraigh ran a special ‘Eamon Smith’ centenary doubles tournament open to all players in the county whereby doubles partnerships are selected on the basis of senior players partnering junior or novice players. This competition format, which commenced in 1978 to commemorate the late Eamon Smith who died tragically in 1977, has been very successful in the county over the years. Eugene Downey and the writer won the competition in 1984. In this year Pat Hall retained his All Ireland under 21 singles 40x20 title and also added the 60x30 singles as well as taking the All Ireland 40x20 Doubles title in partnership with Oldtown club mate David O’Brien. Seamus Ahern, Kevin Geraghty and Pat Griffin also secured All Ireland titles to wrap up Centenary year. Ladies in the county did not go without recognition in this special year. Bridin Ui Mhaolagain received a Cu Chullain award in recognition of her contributions to handball administration and Mavis O’Toole received an award in recognition of her being the most outstanding exponent of the ladies game over many years.
Pakie Ryan
Hardball
Although hardball has diminished in popularity, particularly since competitions for the new American style code of 40 x 20 were introduced in 1974, the Irish Handball Council still sponsors Senior, Junior and Minor All-Ireland competitions to the present day. Former UCD and Kildare handballer Matt Purcell has done much to keep the game of hardball alive and Matt has written a very informative handball blog giving a history of handballers, handball events and Ballymore Eustace, a club synony- mous with hardball and that always enjoyed a cordially competitive relationship with Dublin handball.
The first All-Ireland Hardball senior championship was run in 1925 and won by Aldridge of Athy. This was followed by a six-in-a-row by Dublin's Tom Soye. Austin Clarke was next to win hardball titles for Dublin.
Dublin’s last success up to the year 2000 at senior doubles grade was in 1971 when Mick Sullivan and Jim Doyle annexed the title. Junior Singles All Ireland Hardball Champions from Dublin have included, Andy Byrne in 1968 and Eddie Lee in 1983. Junior Doubles All Ireland Hardball Champions from Dublin have included M. Gleeson and R. Doyle in 1954, Mick Sullivan and Jim Doyle in 1965, Macartan Brady and Tom Hurley in 1974, and Eddie Lee and Raphael Walsh in 1983. Minor Doubles All Ireland Hardball Champions from Dublin have included Macartan Brady and Matt Williams.
More recently, since this history was published, Eoin Kennedy has won senior Hardball titles in singles and in Doubles with his partner Egin Jensen.
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1989 – 2000 Dublin Handball in ‘Survival Mode’ again
Following the building of the glass alley in Croke Park in 1970, the Old Alley, built in 1933, at the back of ‘Hill 16’ became the headquarters for Dublin Handball. Dublin with a population of over one million people by then had only four indoor 60x30 alleys available. Three of these had major disadvantages from the point of view of playing competitions. One was in the Garda Depot in the Phoenix Park and could not be accessed regularly due to security considerations. Another was in Na Fianna which did not have the standard concrete floor and as a result no adult Leinster or National competitions were fixed for there. The new glass alley court in Croke Park was run on a membership basis and was generally for members’ games and National competitions only at the time. The 60x30 code of handball is recognised as the Irish code of the game and many, if not most, prefer this form of the game.
Thus, when the GAA authorities announced that they intended knocking the old ‘Hill 16’ 60x30 alley to facilitate the new Croke Park stadium development, alarm bells rang among all Dublin handballers, particularly as there had been no discussions between the Dublin Handball Board and the GAA authorities prior to this announcement. An EGM of all Dublin handballers was called and a Special Committee was set up to deal with this matter on behalf of the Dublin handballers. The members of this committee included Dick Walsh, Jimmy Heffernan, Mick Finnerty, Vinny Farrelly, John Hoban and Eamon O’Brien. Later on, players such as Neville Farrelly and Dick Kenneally also became members of this committee. Other County Board officials such as John Molloy, Pat Ryan, and Fergal O’Riain, and John Dolan also provided strong support to the committee. Local people were also concerned at the potential loss of this facility that had been used by themselves and their children over the years.
The Special Handball Committee, under the Chairmanship of Eamon O’Brien, liased with the local North Circular Road and Clonliffe Road local area amenities committee and put their case to the GAA. This involved the commissioning of town planners and engineers in addition to legal advisers by the Dublin handballers and an oral hearing at An Bord Pleanala. The expense for all of these advisers was borne by the Dublin handballers individually. Such solidarity eventually reaped its just reward when the GAA authorities in 1999 agreed, by way of settlement, to the setting up of a Dublin Handball Trust Fund and provided the Trust Fund with IR£150,000 for the development of the game in Dublin. It was also agreed that the Dublin Board would receive a proportion of funds, when available for distribution, from the Croke Park Handball social club.
This club which, is now one of the major assets to the handball game in Dublin, is located in the 60x30 Glass Alley complex adjacent to the ‘Hill 16’ enterance. When the Old ‘Hill 16’ alley was demolished in 1989, by arrangement with the GAA officials in Croke Park and the IHC, all Dublin championship games were moved to this venue. As a result we were to see much greater involvement of Dublin handballers, and as a consequence the local community, within this centre. It is also the showpiece of Irish Handball and the major part of the whole Croke Park complex that is used by the local community. While hundreds of millions of euros were being spent on developing the Croke Park stadium, the Ceannaras Management Committee was also trying to do its bit, and borrowed IR£50,000 to upgrade the centre. This together with subsequent investments has ensured that the Centre is always looking its best.
While many people have become aware of the difficulties from time to time that have existed between the local community and the GAA over the development that has taken place in Croke Park, (and with such a major development this in fairness would have to be expected), few people outside of the local community are aware of the tremendous relationship that exists between that community and the Dublin handballers. The Ceannaras Club is the focal point for many local community initiatives that help take children off the street. Additionally the club social committee support anti-drugs programmes, and projects to help the old of the area. Children from the local community are also coached in handball and more and more are becoming involved.
Aidan Fitzsimons has become the first local area member to take on the reins of chairmanship of the management committe of the centre. Aidan, a Dublin City Council housing executive spent over 30 years as a senior Dublin GAA referee and served on the Atha Cliath Coiste Reteoiri. His family have been involved with the centre for many years. The locals that have contributed are too many to name them all but people such as the late Tony Fearns (RIP), John Cummins (RIP), and Eoin Walker, all of whom have served as Chairmen of the social committee, Alex Devlin who was a long-time treasurer, and current committee members Martin Flynn, Carmel Early, Kay Levin, Jim Kelly deserve mention. Also great voluntary work in support of the centre has been done by such as the Blunts Richie and Rose, Mick and Linda O'Neill, Eamon Brady, Tom O'Hare, Bernie Brazil, Noel Wardell, Charlie Hewson, Anto Dolan, Peter Branagan, John Dunne, the McDonalds, Earlys, Cahills and our DJ Brian Page.
Many handball clubs that have no home alleys of their own use the Ceannaras Handball complex as their headquarters. These included Naomh Padraigh, Portobello, D.I.T., Brian Borus, and St. Malachys whose members have now joined the Na Fianna club.
The involvement of Dublin handballers in the management of the centre has brought a huge burden of responsibility on them. Principally involved since 1989 have been Vinny Farrelly, Eamon O’Brien, John Molloy, and Jimmy Heffernan all of whom have served as Chairmen of the Ceannaras Management Committee, Neville Farrelly, Mick Finnerty, John Hoban, Billy McIlroy, and Peter Larkin all of whom have served on the committee.
Over the years the long term bar manager was Mick Treacy, from Cappawhite in Tipperary, and he won the affection of not only Dublin handballers but handballers from all over the country who came to play or visit the centre. When he retired he received a wonderful Waterford Crystal trophy and it was richly deserved. He was fond of the Irish ballad and Noel McDermott and Johnny Moynihan often obliged. Padraigh Gaffney and Martin Dillon, now ensure that the same great atmosphere continues for all who enjoy the centre. More recently Matt 'the hat' Englishby has continued with that tradition and his professionalism has added further to the management of the Centre to meet our community's needs.
Now that a proportion of profits of the centre, when available for distribution, go to the Dublin County Handball Board, it gives the game in Dublin a great potential launching pad when allied to the Trust Fund available for capital projects. In its involvement with the local community the handball centres management have demonstrated the best attributes of the spirit of our great Association and it is anticipated that the GAA officials in Croke Park will continue to give whatever support is needed.
Since writing the foregoing paragraph, we are now facing in to May 2013, it is regrettable to say that the contribution to our Centre from the Croke Park GAA and their limited liability company Pairc An Chrocaigh Teo ("PACT") has centred on being none other than to be as disruptive as possible to our Centre in order to further their efforts to take our Community and Handball Centre from our community. The Croke Park GAA/PACT are now suing over 400 of our members and families in an effort to get their hands on our Centre. However local politicians through Dublin City Council have condemned the Croke Park GAA and its company's actions.
Website of 'History of Croke Park GAA's interaction with our Community & Handball Centre members'
So that people can be made aware of what has been going on in this regard the above mentioned website has been prepared.. You will see videos of Dublin City Council condemning the Croke Park GAA for suing the members of the Community & Handball Centre as well as the special RTE Prime Time story covering the dispute.
Dublin Handball Trust Fund
The fund came about after a long pro-tracted battle to get compensation from the Croke Park GAA that had demolished the handball alley at the back of Hill 16 in 1988. The fact that it took 10 years to get compensation speaks volumes, in the minds of many Dublin handballers, about the Croke Park GAA attitude to Dublin handball at the time.
This Fund is available to back handball projects, approved by the Dublin Handball Board, the Working Commmittee, the Irish Handball Council, the GAA Management Committee, and the Trustees of the fund. In so far as three of the trustees include the Ard Stiurthoir and the Uachtaran of the CLG and a former Uachtaran IHC, this will help to ensure that, within the highest levels of the Association, there is an awareness of handballs needs and progress in the capital city. Grants are available for capital projects in amounts of up to 20% of the total costs.
The Trustees of the Fund
Representing Dublin Handball Board: Vinny Farrelly and Eamon O'Brien.
Representing GAA: Uachtaran and Ard Stiurthoir CLG.
Representing GAA Handball Council: Con Moore former GAA IHC Uachtaran.
Uses to date of the 'Trust Fund' Amount Granted
60 X 30 Court Na Fianna - D.Rooms/Floor/Refurb. €30,000
O'Tooles Building of One-Wall Courts €20,000
Annual Grant to Dublin Handball Minor Board €3,000
The Working Committee - John Costello CEO CLG Atha Cliath, DHB x 2, GAA IHC X 2.
Managed and administered by - Riarthoir GAA Handball Council.
Prominent Dublin Players 1975 - 2000
While growth during this period was somewhat static there was nevertheless great camaraderie between Dublin players and competitions within the county were intense. Dublin as a county ran the most complete set of competitions in the country including Leagues and Championships from ‘Beginner’ grade to ‘Senior’. Teams from outside the County including Dunshaughlin, Ballymore Eustace, Bray and Leixlip competed in the Dublin leagues such was their attractiveness. Many commented on the quality of medal given to all championship winners. All winners receive the same hallmarked solid silver medals regardless of grade, a tradition which commenced in 1988 when Nicholls draperies, then owned by Dublin handballers Mavis O'Toole and Eamon O'Brien, sponsored the first set of such medals and which the County Board has since continued.
In the seventies and early eighties the prominent players in the county would have included such as Pakie Ryan, ‘Black’ Pat Ryan, Pat Masterson, Paddy Farrell, Andy Byrne, Cecil Winders, Niall Cahill, Dick Kenneally, Jim Maloney, Mick Hoare, Phil Murray, Dick Walsh, Joe O’Brien, Marcus Henry, Ray Doherty, Berni Gill, Chris Foley, Liam Hanley, Liam Doyle, Peter Grange, Declan Bruen, Bertie O’Boyle, Norbert O’Reilly, Sean Molloy, Jim Molloy, Tom Kelly, Pat ‘Rathdowney’ Ryan, Jimmy McGuirk, Liam Marren, John Hoban, Eamon Smith (formerly Cavan R.I.P.), Jim Byrne, the late Chubby Geary, Eddie Lee, Tommy Carr, Joe Rossiter, Larry O’Brien, Tom Hurley and Raphael Walsh. As we come to the end of the eighties and through the nineties the prominent players become Eugene Downey, Pat Hall, Eugene Kennedy, R. Lynch, Gerry Scully, Michael Maher, Vinny Farrelly, Ian Jensen, John Downey, Frank Daly, Joe Lee, Dermot Caulfield, Pat McGrath, H. Kenny, J. Fagan, J. Sewell, M. Kavanagh, P. Rafter, J. Donnellan, N. Kelly, B. Barrins, M. Murphy, Frank Feeney, Fintan Price, Joe Warren, Eanna McCluskey, Alan Kenny, Francie Cunningham, Seamus Ahern, Padraigh McCormack, Padraigh McGuire, Adrian Benson, Ian Griffin, Fergal O’Riain, John Ward, Brian Kennedy, Paul Coleman, K. Twomey, D. McGowan, George Ryan, Paul Meehan, B. Lynch, Aengus Cunningham, Christy Donnelly, John Ferncombe, and Michael Carrie son of Albert (Cashel) and another of Dublin handball’s many Tipperary connections. Prominent colleges players included Paul Brady, Dessie Keegan, Padraigh Gaffney and Shane Dormer.
Set aside for separate mention is Eoin Kennedy who is now not only Dublin’s, but Ireland’s dominant handballer. Eoin, son of Eugene mentioned elsewhere, and a member of both St. Brigids and DCU won all three major Irish singles titles in 2002, namely the Senior 40x20, Senior 60x30, and the Irish Nationals title. Eoins victories are a major and welcome boost for the game in the city and despite his very busy college schedule and fitness regime, Eoins willingness to help with coaching and to play with players not quite up to his own standard of play is admirable.
There were a number of established doubles partnerships over the period and these included Pat Masterson and Paddy Farrell, Pakie Ryan and Tom Hurley, Eugene Kennedy and Gerry Scully, Pat Hall and David O’Brien, Vinny Farrelly and Seamus Ahern, Eugene Downey and John Downey, Frank Daly and Eddie Lee, Mickey Maher and Allen Kenny, Vinny Farrelly and Eamon O’Brien, Dessie Keegan and Padraigh Gaffney, and Eoin Kennedy playing with his father Eugene Kennedy. All of these have won Dublin county senior doubles titles. Another partnership that played a lot together was ‘Black’ Pat Ryan and the late Eamon Smith. They did not manage to secure a senior doubles title although ‘Black Pat’ did win two senior titles with other partners. In other grades successful partnerships included Phillip Deignan and Eddie Williams, Pat Crossan and Cecil Halpin, Adrian Benson and George Ryan, Ian Griffin and Christy Donnelly, Peter Larkin and Richard Downey, Fergal O’Riain and John Ward, John Hoban and Dick Kenneally, John Molloy and Pat Ryan, Neville Farrelly and Jimmy Heffernan, Mick O’Brien with both Ray Quinn and Sean Moore, Mick Hoare with both Liam Ferguson (RIP) and the late Paddy McCabe, Ray Doherty with both Tony Buckley and the late Chubby Geary, and Eddie Lee and Raphael Walsh.
In the early 1980’s the IHC introduced masters competitions, with competitions played to All Ireland final level in grades from Masters (Over 40) to Diamond Masters (Over 60). Dublin achieved much success in these grades. Vinny Farrelly achieved the unusual feat, in 1997, of winning all four masters All Ireland titles in his grade having teamed up with both John Hoban and John Molloy in the 40x20 and 60x30 respectively. He later won many more titles with Eugene Kennedy. John Molloy won a Nationals title in 1996. Other prominent Dublin masters over the period and currently, include such as Mick Hoare, Paddy McCabe (R.I.P.), Dessie O’Brien, Peter Grange, Matt Ryan, Ray Quinn, Seamus O’Reilly (formerly Cavan R.I.P), Jimmy O’Reilly (St. Brigids R.I.P), Joe Maxwell, Mick O’Brien, Sean Moore, Sylvie O’Dowd, Peter Larkin, Richard Downey, Paddy Murray, Kevin McKenna, John Dolan, John Granahan, Joe Bergin, Seamus O’Mahony, Martin Hanley, Bill Smith, Tom Smith, John Kenny, Seamus Daly, Connell Cannon, Paddy Emmet, Eamon O’Brien, Neville Farrelly, Len Ahern, Liam Ferguson (RIP), Tony Buckley, John Barton (RIP), Joe Munds, Jack Jordan, Tom Harris, Paddy Clerkin, John Martin, Declan Ryan, Martin and Ned Ward.
That handball is ‘a game for life’, during which a person can enjoy the thrill of competition and cherish the ambition to win an all-Ireland well into mid-life is amply demonstrated by Joe Maxwell or ‘Maxi’ (RIP_2012) as he is known to his many friends. Joe played his first all-Ireland final in 1948 partnering Charlie Doohie in Minor Doubles. They lost the match by a disputed game ball in the third game. In the intervening 41 years to 1989 ‘Maxi’ contested many all-Ireland finals without success, and then in that year victory was his when along with Pakie Ryan he won the 40x20 Silver Masters A Doubles. Joe went on to win three more all-Irelands with Pakie and competed in the Worlds Golden Masters championships. Other partners ‘Maxi’ had along the way included Ray Doherty, Mick Hoare, Bertie O’Boyle, Con Murray, Jim Connell (R.I.P.), John Quigley (R.I.P.) Donal ‘Macker’ McDermott, Sylvie O’Dowd (RIP), Mick ‘The Pipe’ Reilly, ‘Whackser’ Marren, Austin and Jim Clarke (RIP), and Maurice Murphy.
Masters: Pakie Ryan & Joe Maxwell
Joe, who recently passed away, was a great sponsor of the Dublin Minor Handball Board.
Coaching and Refereeing in Dublin Handball
National coach Jimmy Heffernan, pictured below, has provided most of the coaching courses in Dublin over the last twenty years. All those mentioned as promoters of the game among juveniles also make a major contribution to coaching. Enda Timmoney, former member of the Handball National Coaching Committee is also back in circulation and no doubt will answer the call.
Dublin is proud to be able to say that two of the top referees in the country, and who have refereed many an All Ireland final, are handballers of note in the county, namely John Hoban and John Molloy.
Administration of Handball in Dublin 1989 - 2000
From the Special Committee set up in 1989 to deal with the dispute with the GAA, and associated County Handball Board officials, has come the nucleus of Dublin’s current handball administration. Great loyalty and solidarity was built up between these individuals and it is a tribute to them that in the period from 1989 to 2000 and beyond, not one County Board decision has had to be appealed to the Leinster Handball Council or elsewhere. The following are the people who have shouldered the administration of Dublin Handball for over the last twelve years; Eamon O’Brien Chairman, Vinny Farrelly Vice-Chairman and Chairman of Croke Park Handball Social Club, Fergal O’Riain, Dick Kenneally, Mick Finnerty and John Hoban, who have served as County Secretary, John Molloy Fixtures Secretary and also former Leinster Handball Council Chairman and National Fixtures Committee member, ‘Black’ Pat Ryan and Tony Brown who have served as treasurers, Jimmy Heffernan Coaching Officer, Neville Farrelly Minor Board and former Vice-Chairman, and Julie Long PRO.
Dublin administrators have also found Leinster Council officials such as Tommy O’Brien (RIP) and Tom Walsh very helpful over the years.
Media Coverage / Future of Dublin Handball
From the mid 1980’s onwards, and particularly with the ending of the televised Top Ace series, handball has suffered from poor media coverage. Thus young players have been enticed away by other sports.
Given that the Dublin Boards members, all of whom are voluntary, were pre-occupied with resolving their dispute with the GAA authorities up to the late 1990’s it was difficult to give adequate attention to the development of the game itself. Now with the resolution reached with the GAA, in relation to the loss of the 60x30 Dublin Handball Headquarters at the back of Hill 16, and with the Trust Fund in place, it is anticipated that Dublin handball is on the threshold of much future growth. In the last few years there has been much more participation from the colleges in the city. Also clubs like Na Fianna under chairman Charlie O’Reilly, St. Brigids, and Naomh Mearnog are becoming even more active in promoting the game within their GAA clubs. New clubs have also recently been established including Brian Borus with Anthony O’Sullivan, Brian Kearns, and Frank Semple to the fore, and Portobello has seen much new blood come in to the club with the arrival of the Kelly brothers Dan and Joe, Joel Smith, Pat Ginty, and Lorcan Maughan, recent winner of the 40x20 Junior singles title. At the time of writing D.I.T. who participate yearly in the World colleges competitions in the USA, have over seventy members with Padraigh Gaffney as their driving force and UCD have over 30 players with Alan Pearson at the helm. All of this augurs well for the future of Dublin handball.
RTE Handball Coverage - 1970's
The Top-Ace provided national coverage for handball on a scale that had never been seen before the 1970's and has not been seen since. The show was put out weekly and recorded in the Croke Park Handball & Community Centre. Dublin based handballers Pakie Ryan, Joe O'Brien and 'Black Pat' Ryan featured.
RTE Sports Club in 1977 also featured handball and Eanna McCloskey, son of Mick (RIP) a tireless worker for the Minor Board, and Alan Kenny were finalists.
Mick Dunne RTE and the Top Ace series
Mick (RIP) was a great friend of handball in Dublin and nationally and he was the commentator for the Top-Ace series. He also played regularly at the Community & Handball Centre along with Clem Foley, Mick Enright and Con Murray and their games were always very entertaining to watch.
Mick Dunnes reaction to a Trinity College prank
A certain Trinity College handball club member had in 1977 tried to play a prank on the UCD Handball Club by getting a friend that was travelling to France to send UCD a letter from Paris purporting to invite the UCD team and officials to 'An Exhibition of European Games' at the University of the Sorbonne in Paris .... all expenses paid. When I got the letter I rang Joe Lynch in the Irish Handball offices to get it checked out as the letter was handwritten. Joe said he would check it and
that I could not have phoned at a better time as Mick Dunne of RTE was in the office. I said, "Joe don't say anything to Mick Dunne yet as we have'nt got it checked out." The day after in college I was getting loads of congratulations about the trip to Paris as Mick Dunne ran the story on RTE Radio the night before. The Trinity man panicked when he heard the story on radio and wrote a letter of apology to us in fairness to him.
Later in the year playing with Marcus Henry in an American trials doubles in Tralee I got to have dinner with Mick Dunne and others. For a student like myself to be having dinner with a top RTE commentator meant I was really watching my P's and Q's ...............
t'would be easier to sit beside the parish priest. I tried to think of something interesting to say so I turned to Mick Dunne and I said 'Was'nt it a pity about the trip to Paris". Mick looked at me and said "Yes that .. that ****** head the ball should have been suspended and I was looking forward to going over to Paris with a camera crew". Then I knew that even top RTE reporters were human and a bit like ourselves and I really enjoyed the rest of the dinner and threw in the odd expletive myself.
© Copyright 2013 of Eamon O'Brien and contributors.