Phoenix Cricket Club
Encyclopedia
Phoenix Cricket Club is a Dublin-based club that currently fields five men's teams, one women's
team, 8 schoolboy teams and a Tavern team.
, founded in 1830, by John Parnell, the father of Charles Stewart Parnell
famous for bringing Irish home rule to the forefront of the political agenda, was a short lived member. It was founded about five years before Dublin University Cricket Club
The club has been based in Dublin's Phoenix Park
for nearly its entire history, apart from 1835–1853. During those years, Phoenix played their home games in fields near the current site of the Grand Canal
, by Upper Baggot Street. During the 1930s, 1940s and 1970s, Phoenix was the dominant club in Leinster
cricket.
Two of the prestigious early members of the club, Lord Dunloe and Lord Clonbrock, were also on the 1833 members list at the MCC
. Together with V.E. Alcock, they were mainly responsible for the club expanding and developing over its first 20 years until it reached its zenith as the "Premier Club of Ireland," a contemperanous description by the newspapers. All the founder-members were later given "Life Membership" in recognition of their service to the club.
In February 1853, the club relocated to the Phoenix Park. As the club continued to prosper, the membership increased each year and 20 to 25 matches were played annually. However, in 1846 the road through the Phoenix Park was widened and the club had to move again. A new ground in an adjacent area was recommended, and in view of the expense already incurred by the Club the move was financed by the "Board of Works," at a cost of £73 and Phoenix has been at its present ground since 1847.
, ten were won, two were drawn and one was lost. South Africa made its second visit to Ireland in 1901. At this time, a dispute arose over the method of selecting the Irish team, and as a result, two of the leading Dublin clubs withdrew their names from selection, as did the Northern clubs. The Irish team eventually selected had ten Phoenix men and Bill Harrington of Leinster. (Though Leinster was a party to the dispute, Harrington was also a member of the County Kildare Club, which had kept out of the dispute). Disputes were no uncommon at the time, a few years earlier six Phoenix men had withdrawn from an Irish team because of insufficient Phoenix representation.
By 1902, the quarrel over selecting the Irish team was over, and a squad was selected to play a trial match at the Phoenix ground in May, 1902. This was selected for a short tour in England. The first match was against W. G. Grace
's London County side, and the Irish team won. The third match was at Oxford, with the Irish team losing by 62 runs. The last match was against Cambridge, and Ireland won by 58 runs.
In the latter part of the 1960s one of the most cohesive and formidable teams in the history of Leinster cricket began to emerge. After 22 years, Phoenix won the John Player Senior cup in 1973. In 1974 the team won the inaugural Wiggins Teape League and the following year accomplished the Grand Slam winning all three of Leinster senior trophies. For an entire decade the Phoenix 1st XI fielded no more than fifteen players during which time it won:
1973: John Player Senior Cup
1974: Wiggins Teape Competition
1975: Leinster Senior League / John Player Senior Cup / Wiggins Teape Competition
1976: John Player Senior Cup
1977: John Player Senior Cup
1978: Leinster Senior League / John Player Senior Cup
1979: Leinster Senior League / John Player Senior Cup
By 1980, when Phoenix C.C. celebrated its 150 years jubilee, the club fielded 4 teams in Leinster men's cricket, 2 schoolboys XI's (under 13's and under 15's) and 2 Ladies XI's.
In the early years of the 21st century, Phoenix C.C. has looked to the challenge of fostering the endless fascination and joy of cricket in a new generation of players. A new generation to follow in the tradition of never say die and the legacy of Ireland's oldest cricket club.
Women's cricket
Women's cricket is the form of the team sport of cricket that is played by women.-History:The first recorded match of women's cricket was reported in The Reading Mercury on 26 July 1745, a match contested "between eleven maids of Bramley and eleven maids of Hambledon, all dressed in white." The...
team, 8 schoolboy teams and a Tavern team.
History
Phoenix CC is the oldest cricket club in IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, founded in 1830, by John Parnell, the father of Charles Stewart Parnell
Charles Stewart Parnell
Charles Stewart Parnell was an Irish landowner, nationalist political leader, land reform agitator, and the founder and leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party...
famous for bringing Irish home rule to the forefront of the political agenda, was a short lived member. It was founded about five years before Dublin University Cricket Club
Dublin University Cricket Club
Dublin University Cricket Club is a cricket team in Ireland. They currently play in the Leinster Senior League, and in the past had first-class status, and played against several sides that were touring England, including the Australians , South Africans and West Indians .Their first first-class...
The club has been based in Dublin's Phoenix Park
Phoenix Park
Phoenix Park is an urban park in Dublin, Ireland, lying 2–4 km west of the city centre, north of the River Liffey. Its 16 km perimeter wall encloses , one of the largest walled city parks in Europe. It includes large areas of grassland and tree-lined avenues, and since the seventeenth...
for nearly its entire history, apart from 1835–1853. During those years, Phoenix played their home games in fields near the current site of the Grand Canal
Grand Canal of Ireland
The Grand Canal is the southernmost of a pair of canals that connect Dublin, in the east of Ireland, with the River Shannon in the west,via Tullamore and a number of other villages and towns, the two canals nearly encircling Dublin's inner city. Its sister canal on the Northside of Dublin is the...
, by Upper Baggot Street. During the 1930s, 1940s and 1970s, Phoenix was the dominant club in Leinster
Leinster
Leinster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the east of Ireland. It comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Mide, Osraige and Leinster. Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the historic fifths of Leinster and Mide gradually merged, mainly due to the impact of the Pale, which straddled...
cricket.
Early years
Prior to 1834, the club members met and practised in the Phoenix Park, but in 1835 the club moved out of the Park and played in matches in the open fields south of the canal.Two of the prestigious early members of the club, Lord Dunloe and Lord Clonbrock, were also on the 1833 members list at the MCC
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
. Together with V.E. Alcock, they were mainly responsible for the club expanding and developing over its first 20 years until it reached its zenith as the "Premier Club of Ireland," a contemperanous description by the newspapers. All the founder-members were later given "Life Membership" in recognition of their service to the club.
In February 1853, the club relocated to the Phoenix Park. As the club continued to prosper, the membership increased each year and 20 to 25 matches were played annually. However, in 1846 the road through the Phoenix Park was widened and the club had to move again. A new ground in an adjacent area was recommended, and in view of the expense already incurred by the Club the move was financed by the "Board of Works," at a cost of £73 and Phoenix has been at its present ground since 1847.
International cricket
The first Irish tour to North America was in 1879. Of the thirteen games played against the Philadelphia cricket clubPhiladelphia Cricket Club
The Philadelphia Cricket Club, founded in 1854, is the oldest country club in the United States. It has two locations: Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, and Flourtown, Pennsylvania.-History:...
, ten were won, two were drawn and one was lost. South Africa made its second visit to Ireland in 1901. At this time, a dispute arose over the method of selecting the Irish team, and as a result, two of the leading Dublin clubs withdrew their names from selection, as did the Northern clubs. The Irish team eventually selected had ten Phoenix men and Bill Harrington of Leinster. (Though Leinster was a party to the dispute, Harrington was also a member of the County Kildare Club, which had kept out of the dispute). Disputes were no uncommon at the time, a few years earlier six Phoenix men had withdrawn from an Irish team because of insufficient Phoenix representation.
By 1902, the quarrel over selecting the Irish team was over, and a squad was selected to play a trial match at the Phoenix ground in May, 1902. This was selected for a short tour in England. The first match was against W. G. Grace
W. G. Grace
William Gilbert Grace, MRCS, LRCP was an English amateur cricketer who is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest players of all time, having a special significance in terms of his importance to the development of the sport...
's London County side, and the Irish team won. The third match was at Oxford, with the Irish team losing by 62 runs. The last match was against Cambridge, and Ireland won by 58 runs.
Leinster Senior League
The Leinster Senior League was formed in 1919 and, while Phoenix had a considerably reduced membership due to the Troubles, the Phoenix team was still up to par. The subconscious policy of being a club for officers and gentlemen still persisted, while the practice of electing a captain on a match-to-match basis continued up until 1932 when W. R. Allen became the first captain appointed for a whole season.Centenary celebrations
The Phoenix centenary was celebrated without too much pomp and fuss with a match against R. H. Lambert's selected XI, though the game was rain-affected.Later years
The decades, 1950–1970 were without the glory of the previous years due to an aging team. Despite 2 cups in the 1950s, the next decade was without a major trophy during the whole of that decade.In the latter part of the 1960s one of the most cohesive and formidable teams in the history of Leinster cricket began to emerge. After 22 years, Phoenix won the John Player Senior cup in 1973. In 1974 the team won the inaugural Wiggins Teape League and the following year accomplished the Grand Slam winning all three of Leinster senior trophies. For an entire decade the Phoenix 1st XI fielded no more than fifteen players during which time it won:
1973: John Player Senior Cup
1974: Wiggins Teape Competition
1975: Leinster Senior League / John Player Senior Cup / Wiggins Teape Competition
1976: John Player Senior Cup
1977: John Player Senior Cup
1978: Leinster Senior League / John Player Senior Cup
1979: Leinster Senior League / John Player Senior Cup
By 1980, when Phoenix C.C. celebrated its 150 years jubilee, the club fielded 4 teams in Leinster men's cricket, 2 schoolboys XI's (under 13's and under 15's) and 2 Ladies XI's.
In the early years of the 21st century, Phoenix C.C. has looked to the challenge of fostering the endless fascination and joy of cricket in a new generation of players. A new generation to follow in the tradition of never say die and the legacy of Ireland's oldest cricket club.