Kilcullen handball recalled in Ireland's Eye article

A handball alley of the 1930s similar to the one in Kilcullen. Pic courtesy National Library.

Childhood memories of socialising in fair weather at the old handball alley in Kilcullen begin an article by Garreth Byrne in the November issue of Ireland's Eye magazine. Garreth is retired and lives in Dromahair, Co Leitrim, but grew up in Kilcullen before embarking on a teaching career which saw him spend his working life in Africa and China.

He describes 'the main wall of the alley was high and fronted the main street through which Dublin to Waterford traffic constantly moved. To ensure that no balls went over the wall, there was a line of firm wire mesh tacked onto the top. Two sidewalls stretched down to a rear back wall against which rebounding balls bounced'.

The writer continues on the theme of what the alley meant socially to younger children in the village. He mentions that older teenager boys sometimes played serious games of handball.

The rest of the article is about handball alleys around Ireland and the export of the sport to Australia, South Africa, Britain and North America. About 700 handball alleys have been identified around Ireland, some abandoned or being used for other purposes and yet others being used for serious handball sport. They are part of our cultural and architectural heritage.

The alley in Kilcullen was roughly opposite Brennans Hardware, a little further up hill and accessed by a lane. It was demolished to make way for the buildings now there.


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