Lisburn Cricket Club  1836 to 2011

Lisburn CC launched their 175th Anniversary  Celebrations at a reception generously hosted by The Lisburn City Council Lord Mayor Paul Porter in the Lagan Valley Island centre on 3rd February.


Lisburn Cricket Club is the oldest surviving cricket club in Northern Ireland, and the third oldest (behind Phoenix CC and DUCC) in Ireland. Established in 1836, it will be celebrating its 175th anniversary in the coming 2011 season.

Pictured at the official launch:

Cecil Walker, Dame Mary Peters, Mayor Paul Porter, Lisburn Chairman Ian Ross, David Archer Chairman of Leisure Services at Lisburn Council and Lisburn President Gary Blair.    

Over the years Lisburn has been to the fore in Irish cricketing circles - they have won major honours on many occasions and 17 of their  players have represented Ireland in senior  International matches. Their  main emphasis has been the coaching of young players - by paying professional coaches to help improve our young players and in 1978 engaged the first post-war player/coach in Northern Ireland, John Solanky. They have continued to place this importance in the development of our youth and still engage a full time coach 33 years later.

Club Honours: 

  • Senior League Winners - 13 Times
  • Challenge  Cup Winners - 11 Times
  • Ulster Cup Winners in 2000
  • Twenty/20 Winners  in 2008
  • Junior Cup Winners - 7 Times
  • Minor Cup Winners - 9 Times

In 1986, the Club celebrated its Sesquicentennial  with a visit from  Bermuda XI and then, a never to be forgotten occasion, when Sir Ian Botham was a guest in a Lisburn XI against an NCU President's XI. In a high scoring game, Botham won the match when he scored a century in 34 balls, with 32 off the last over. Botham's appearance in that match created front page news in the National Press therefore underlining his standing in the World game at that time.
In 2002, the playing area of the ground was increased by 40% with help from Lisburn Council and the Sports Council with the result that they were able to host International matches, and indeed, later that year hosted its first Ireland international in the European Championships.

Also in 2002, the Channel 4 TV Roadshow paid its only visit to Ireland when Mark Nicholas, Michael Atherton, Dermot Reeve and Michael Slater conducted master classes in batting, bowling and fielding.
The whole show was beamed out nationally and Wallace Park was really on the map.

Cecil WalkerIn 2009, Cecil Walker was awarded an International Cricket Council Centenary Medal from Cricket Ireland in recognition of his work in the world of cricket as a volunteer for over 65 years. In those years Cecil had brought distinction to the (then) Town of Lisburn by holding the highest profile posts in both the Irish & Northern Cricket Unions, being the President of the later in their centenary year of 1986, coinciding with the clubs Sesquicentennial.

In 2010, with the financial help of Sport NI the Club have further enhanced their  facilities with the provision of 2 synthetic practice pitches which allows practice in most weather conditions and is a significant help with coaching, especially as they have a programme of outreach to most of the Primary schools in the Lisburn Area.

In this, their special year, Lisburn will be hosting the NCU Senior Cup Final for the first time in the Club's history. Again, working with the Council, Lisburn Cricket Club will bring  a major sporting event to the City.

  • Other events planned this year include:
  • A Spring Ball at Lisburn Golf Club in March
  • A match against a Cricket Ireland President's team
  • A Gala Dinner in Lagan Valley Island centre in October when David Lloyd will be the guest speaker.  

Lisburn produced a major Club brochure for their 150th in 1986 and will be publishing a major update later this year.

It will be a busy and memorable year.

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