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Foreign and Fantastic Field Sports: Cricket in County Tipperary
On Saturday 4 December a new sports book 'Foreign
and Fantastic Field Sports' Cricket in County Tipperary was launched The author,
Littleton, Co. Tipperary native Patrick Bracken, has a first class honours
degree in Local Studies from NUI Maynooth, and is presently undertaking a
Masters degree in Information and Library Studies. He is employed by Tipperary
Libraries and he works in their new Templemore branch library, Co. Tipperary
where the launch took place.
The title for the book is taken from Archbishop Croke's letter to the United
Ireland newspaper on his acceptance to become patron of the newly formed Gaelic
Athletic Association. The impact of the GAA on the playing of cricket and the
Archbishop's perception of what he deemed to be 'foreign' are commented upon.
The implications of the GAA Ban receive attention as social and political events
impinged on not alone sport, but on all aspects of society.
This important new research demonstrates how cricket developed in Tipperary in
the mid-1830s and how it subsequently spread throughout the whole county during
the second half of the nineteenth century. Its development was initially
promoted and supported by the military forces at several barrack locations
throughout the county and also the local landed gentry.
Primarily using contemporary Tipperary newspapers as his source material, the
author has identified almost 260 cricket teams, which were once active in County
Tipperary from 1834 and compiled these into an extensive database at locations
ranging from Roscrea to Carrick-on-Suir, from Newport to Ballingarry.
This new study shows how there was cross community support for the game in the
1870s from Catholic to Protestant, landlord to tenant farmer, from soldier to
merchant.
With location maps of teams the author shows how widespread the game became,
with local hotspots in Clonmel, Cahir, Cashel, Tipperary, Nenagh, Thurles and
Roscrea. Sport did not exist in isolation and the author recognises this by
demonstrating the development of several other field sports in the county during
the course of the book. Athletics, lawn tennis, archery, rugby football, soccer
and golf all add to the heady mix of games which Tipperary men and women were
playing. The exploits of some local personalities such as the Ryans of Rockwell;
the D'Altons of Claremont; Harry Read, Roscrea; Dr Patrick Heffernan, Derrygrath;
and Barclay Wilson are also documented.
The book concludes with an account of the only two remaining clubs now active in
the county, Ballyeighan CC (with their playing facilities at the foot of
Knockshegowna Hill) and Clonmel CC.
A comprehensive database of teams, map locations and a sixteen page plate
section of photographs give a pioneering insight into the history of cricket in
Tipperary, which will appeal not only to those interested in this game, but
sports lovers and people with an interest in Tipperary history.
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