The Enniscorthy Cricket Festival held in the Showgrounds, Enniscorthy, has been hailed as an outstanding success and a wonderful tribute to Enniscorthy and its cricketers who have kept the games alive for over a century.

There were half a dozen six-a-side teams on the Sunday. Two groups of three teams of mostly beginners and social cricketers giving people a flavour of cricket. Great atmosphere of noise in the stand and roars vibrating out. Funny music provided by MC DJ Juggler.

Four Enniscorthy teams fought it out with neighbours from Gorey and Wexford, and regards to Al Fitzgerald and Herbie Honohan for getting teams together. A great social day with many partners and some families in the stand. It shows that cricket can be a great social day out, it is good craic and you don’t have to be looking at the cricket! It all came down to a local Derby between one of the Enniscorthy Rugby teams and Gorey.

Enniscorthy posted 18 runs in the final and thought this was not enough but with the vagaries of -5 runs for the fall of a wicket and -10 runs in the last over anything could happen and did. Scorthy Rugby’s competive juices flowed as in the Town’s Cup and AIL qualifiers wickets were bowled and catches held. Gorey who had the only lady playing of the day (a pity a few more didn’t participate) had there last two in and it was down to the wire with a 4 (doubled to 8 in last over) required to win off the last ball. Scorthy prevailed with a run out and another Trophy headed back to the Ross Road the Scorthy Super Sixes Ashes Urn (which contained the ashes of all Enniscorthy Past Deceased Cricketers). Many thanks to the staff of the Greyhound Track for providing food and hydration!

The event continued at Enniscorthy Rugby Club where the Back Beats provided the sound for Stephen Hadley Martin Sheridan-Pope (aka Popey) and Dick Forrest (the first Leprechaun to arrive) to throw a few shapes. Many thanks to the Back Beats and Enniscorthy Rugby Club.

The following day Monday it was the clash of the Ash (or even willow) when an Enniscorthy Team made up of locals and people who had a connection with the Cricket Club in the past took on the little people (The Leprechauns).

The toss was taken as is tradition the visiting side were asked to have a bat. The Leps put on a score of 145. Good bowling was provided by Katherine Crampton and Steve Boyd with one J Walshe providing the initial break through. Popey was like a cat behind the stumps. Like hens teeth we had a performance on the deck by the Squire DJ Hamilton Heathley Tector who vowed he would never return after snapping two achilles tendons but bowled like a pro for 3 overs took a wicket and showed the young pups that there is life in the ‘oul dog yet’.

It was great to have a presence of all the suits who all posed for pics at drinks. We had the President of Midlands and Southeast Mr Jonathan Alowishes Walshe, Mr Ptere Thaw, President of Cricket Leinster and, not least, Mr David O’Connor President of Cricket Ireland. Enniscorthy Historical Re-enactment Society dressed up stunningly in dress of 1919 being the Centenary of the Cricket Club. And a few vintage cars called by,

A lovely tea was taken between innings and a bit of banter with the speeches. Great to see Philip Gray and his wife Sandra. Many thanks to Mrs Sue Derham and her husband John, Poppy Walshe, Grainne Breen, Tricia Walshe, and Hazel Walshe for helping with the teas.

Enniscorthy Cricket Club then replied to the Leps score, but unfortunately, wickets fell at regular intervals despite some good hits by J Walshe and Robbie Syme. Enniscorthy finished on 70 and nearly went out with a bang as Martin Sheridan-Pope was nearly hit by an electric hare coming off the pitch. The Leprechauns ran out valiant winners. Thanks to Dick Forrest for getting a team out and playing. Ivan Yates was given dog’s abuse (not really) on the way out for not attending the main event of the day despite having relatives in the Cricket Club years ago.

It was an enjoyable tow-day event and the organisers would like to thank all the committee; George Copeland, Stephen Hadley, Martin Sheridan-Pope and Robbie Syme, for all their hard work, Not forgetting the umpires Alan Smale and Peter Thew. And a special thanks to David Wrafter of Enniscorthy Rugby Club who mysteriously “created a cricket ground out of nothing in three weeks.”

Thanks also to Cricket Leinster and all the local businesses for all their support. “Going around the town with fliers during the week it is amazing despite Cricket not being played for many a year it is still remembered if you scratch the surface. This is a lesson for Irish Cricket if we want to revive this sport on the island,” Ian L. Walshe told WexfordToday.com.

€2,000 was  raised for Slaney Search and Rescue and the organisers say “If we selll 463 tickets at €10 each before November we will raise a bit more.”