Ideas to Phone 01-2867054 Welcome to North Wicklow Cricket Club HISTORY PAGE 2 a strictly amateur club NORTH WICKLOW CRICKET CLUB History Page 1 History Page 2 History Page 3 History Page 4 History Page 5 History Page 6 History Page 7 History Page 8 Bray Parish Cricket Club's Story as told by Albert Philp to Bruce Chandler Formation of the Bray Parish club stemmed from a parish cricket match, the idea of Bray's rector Canon Campbell. This match was played in 1954 on Lord Meath's Killruddery estate between Christ Church and St.Paul's. Albert Philp, a member of Leinster C.C. during the 1930's, played in this match and together with his friends Eddie Whitten and Donald McCleane , a wicketkeeper, decided then to start a club in the parish. Lord Meath provided a field off the Vevay Road and Bray Parish played their first match in 1955. There were friendlies only at first and the members mainly lived in Bray. Albert remembers Cyril Harvey, Cyril Gilbert, Charlie Lane, John Shiels, Ray Tarleton, Frank Talbot and John Leeson as members from those first days. In the second season growing enthusiasm prompted the club to enter Leinster competitions. Jim McKell, a useful bat from Dean's Grange, joined and over ensuing years Albert remembers also Neville Packam, Norman Elliott, Eddie Nolan and Eddie Foster - another good batsman. The club stayed for two seasons in Lord Meath's field off Vevay road. Their arrangements were very simple. Players arrived togged out as there was no pavilion. Albert brought the stumps, pads etc. in the boot of his car. Players' wives and girl friends provided teas at the boundary edge. Off the field things were simple too; the club had no committee and held no formal meetings and these informal arrangements remained throughout their twenty odd years of existence. The free use of Lord Meath's field did not prove satisfactory as the cricketers shared occupancy with a herd of cows. Dodging cow pats became a primary consideration when fielding. An opportunity to move to better conditions was taken in 1956 and the club moved further up the Vevay Road to a field situated on what is now Glendale Drive. This field belonged to the County Wicklow Lawn Lawn Tennis Club, which rented it to the cricket club. Albert Philp acquired an Atco lawn mower. He and a few others spent many hours behind this mower keeping the grass in order. This eventually became such a grind that Eddie Whitten had the bright idea of getting some sheep to keep the grass down. He persuaded the members that sheep currants were no problem compared to cow pats. Eddie's farmer friend from Windgates provided the sheep and club appointed Charlie Lane as "Official Cricket Square Sheep Currant Remover". Sheep evidence on the outfield was considered to be acceptable to fielding sides !. Continued on next page History of Cricket - Page 1