DUBLIN CITY - SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER 2022

Since the cricketing season finished in September, it's been straight back into the schools and there has been plenty of development work taking place though the Dublin City area.

Along with our regular weekly schoolyard sessions, Sportsfest Week is one of the highlights of the year for the Dublin City Sport and Wellbeing Partnership, and Friday the 23rd of September saw the launch of the Dublin City Sportsfest 2022 during the European Week of Sport. People of all ages from all parts of Dublin City took part in a range of different sports at various venues. Cricket Leinster’s partnership with Dublin City Council continues to grow from strength to strength with the council supporting many new initiatives currently being offered to schools and youth/adult groups, along with the provision of a variety of cricket activities during the year.

A range of cricketing activities took place during the week itself, most notably, the NEIC two day coaching course and the ‘Sportsfest Cricket Blitz’ taking place between local schools at Mountjoy Square. Sports Development Officer, John Sweeney, had this to say “Sportsfest has now been running in the Dublin City area for a number of years and it’s a great initiative to get everyone experiencing a wide variety of sports. Cricket has really grown over the last number of years and it’s been very satisfying to see it being played in the local schools.”

In addition to this cricket has been present at the Mary’s Lane camps, Ukrainian sporting events held in Dublin City and the Community Games at DCU Sports Campus to name but a few.

It was straight back into action with the Autumn Friday night Provincial Boy’s U11 and U13 coaching programmes which started up again on the 23rd of September for a four week training block of outdoor sessions at Merrion Cricket Club. Weather and light can of course play its part here at this time of year but every session was completed and it's back to indoor sessions on Friday evenings for the rest of the winter.

Our tape ball programme will conclude with a final session on the 12th of November at Mountjoy Square, and after our Mid-Term camps next week it will be back to our school coaching visits along with a Young Leaders Cricket Course for the 4th year students at The High School in Rathgar for the remaining part of the school term. Many cricket school programmes are delivered in partnership with the Dublin City Sports Development Officers who are currently employed throughout the city supporting sporting activities.

Well done to all schools, participants and coaches who took part in our cricketing activities during the past few weeks since the season has finished – an exciting and enjoyable time for everyone involved. We, at Cricket Leinster look forward to the great initiatives that are being developed by the Dublin City Sports and Wellbeing partnership.

Cricket Leinster would like to thank Dublin City Council for their continued support of all the programmes.

Fintan Mc Allister

Dublin City Council Development Officer

September 2022