Cricket Club celebrates it’s 10th anniversary

CLONDALKIN Cricket Club is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year.

Starting in 2015, the club first began playing in Tymon Park barely managing to put together a team. Since then it has just gone from strength to strength now proudly having over 80 members and fielding three competitive teams.

The Echo heard from club spokesperson Abul Shapon on the aims of the club and its key strategies for ensuring long term success and survival.

“In general the club is doing good and there is high demand. Our main principle is to integrate with the local schools and community.

‘That is our main goal. We are a multicultural club, a public club so we want to focus on integrating with our local community to be more active. We want to improve their physical well being.”

Shapon works in the health sector and aims to include all people in the club.

“Some who have a disability, whether physical or cognitive, the club can help them. Also drug addiction.

‘Young people in Clondalkin I have linked with in the past, underage 16 or 17 and are suffering from drug addiction. The sports club can help them too.”

The club gets involved with schools on a local level also. Local boys and girls primary schools in the area invited them in for a well being week where they give talks to the children explaining and promoting cricket and the benefits that can come from joining an organised sports team.

“We have a very good relationship with the locals. I haven’t seen any big problems in Tymon Park for the last 10 years.

‘I hear stories here and there about cricket pitches being burnt out elsewhere or on the northside. We are very lucky we have a good relationship with the locals. We have not faced any big problems like vandalism.”