By Sean Collins
As John Kelly and his Handball committee, with support from Councillor Pio Smith, work hard to revive the fortunes of the old handball alley at Millmount, historian Sean Collins has researched the history of the game in Drogheda where it has had a long tradition and it is to be hoped the committee’s efforts will be fruitful.
A correspondent writing in the Drogheda Argus in July 1891 expressed great delight at the revival of handball in Drogheda and south Louth. He said that two generations before the game was extremely popular in the area with Ball courts in different areas. According to Ned McHugh in his “Atlas of Drogheda, in 1790” there was even one in West Street although the exact location is no longer known!
In writing of the United Irishmen’s rebellion, in 1798, one historian recorded; “On June 3 1798, as he was playing a game of handball at Collon, Michael Boylan was arrested and taken to Drogheda Jail.
He was tried and on the evidence of Dan Kelly, he was convicted and sentenced to death. The family were hopeful for a reprieve through the influence of John Foster who was their landlord, but Foster refused to intercede and the sentence was carried out and on June 22 1798, Boylan was hanged in front of the Tholsel at Peter Street (then called Pillory Street) in Drogheda.
Tragically, one of Boylan’s sisters who was married and living in County Meath had arrived in Drogheda that morning to do some shopping. On seeing a crowd at the Tholsel, she made her way to find out what was going on. One can imagine her distress when she saw the body of her brother hanging from the gallows.
In the 1890s the Drogheda Argus further reports that most handball games played in Millmount were at her majesty’s pleasure with the kind permission of the barrack captain. Thomas Mangan [Mayor 1892] had a ball alley at the bottom of Mary St. beside his bar [later Dinny McKeowns].
John Weldon who owned the Central Bar [The Mariner/Bennys] proposed building a Handball Alley on North Quay on the site of the old Drogheda skittle alley.
Local competitive games were played at Mr. Carroll’s bar [later Brodigans] in Termonfeckin, and at Geraghty’s Alley on Bellewstown Hill. Crilly’s of Grange was another popular venue and the Shamrock Tavern in Togher.
The popular Drogheda players of the 1890s were Thomas Mangan, the Joyce Brothers, J. Swift, J. Carton, and J. Reilly. John and Paddy Dwyer are also mentioned, perhaps members of the Dwyer family who built a ball alley behind their premises in the Bullring in 1906 [now Eddie Tuites/Ollie Mullens]. There was also a Ball Alley built at St.Peter’s School in Bolton Square.
in 1923 The Drogheda Independent received an appeal from a reader who signed himself, ‘a Gael’ asking for support of all true Irishmen for the fledgling Irish Handball Association, describing handball as “our oldest and most ancient Irish game.”
At the revival of the Tailteann Games at Tara in 1927, Dwyer of the Bullring Alley representing Louth won the handball tournament. In those days eleven games was the standard tournament between teams.
Many times in the newspapers you can read of six games being played in Drogheda and the balance being played in Termonfeckin or where-ever the opposition came from. Competitors were also allowed kick the ball which must have been an amazing skill.
The enthusiastic reporter with the Drogheda Argus reported on a major Handball game at the Brooklyn Club in New York in 1894. He said the
“New York Sun” reported of an epic handball game at the club between John Leonard of Co. Louth and John McConnon of Drogheda.
McConnon was the victor by one ace after eleven games. The paper said McConnon was a noted Irish step dancer, which made him very agile in the court. Our first international, probably an ancestor of Teddy and Barry.
In 1930 the Drogheda Corporation gave the use of the Millmount Alley to the Wolfe Tones G.F.C.
In the 1940’s Thady Kelly, a Garda Detective, a native of Limerick who had made Drogheda his home, founded St. Mary’s Handball Club. He was Gary Kelly’s Grandad by the way.
During the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s St. Mary’s players dominated the game both locally, nationally and internationally.
Mr. J.L. Reilly donated the “Reilly Cup” and in 1948 the club secretary Jackie Murray announced a doubles tournament played over 45 games with thirteen pairs for the cup was organised. The victors were Terry and Noel Reilly of the home club.
Throughout the 1950’s the club continued to thrive. Joey Maher brought home the club’s first All-Ireland medal in 1956, Fintan Confrey in 58 and 59, Terry and Paddy Reilly in the doubles 1960, Paddy Reilly partnered Joey Maher to Doubles All-Ireland victory in 1964. Maher won eight All-Ireland titles before winning the World title in 1967, and continuing his winning ways in handball throughout his life.
Perhaps with luck and local effort we might see such days again. Keep up the good work.
See our previous article:
Fantastic new designs to breathe new life into Millmount Handball Alley
