Phoenix Cricket Club

Phoenix CC is the oldest cricket club in Ireland, founded in 1830, by John Parnell, the father of Charles Stewart Parnell. The younger Parnell, famous for bringing Irish home rule to the forefront of the political agenda, was a member for a short time. It was founded about five years before Dublin University Cricket Club The club has been based in Dublin's Phoenix Park for nearly its entire history, apart from 1835–1838. During those years, Phoenix played their home games in fields near the current site of the Grand Canal, by Upper Baggot Street. During the 1930s, 1940s and 1970s, Phoenix was the dominant club in Leinster cricket.

Prior to 1834, the club members met and practised in the Phoenix Park, but in 1835 the club moved out of the Park and played in matches in the open fields south of the canal. Two of the prestigious early members of the club, Lord Dunloe and Lord Clonbrock, were also on the 1833 members list at the MCC. Together with V.E. Alcock, they were mainly responsible for the club expanding and developing over its first 20 years until it reached its zenith as the "Premier Club of Ireland," a contemporaneous description by the newspapers. All the founder-members were later given "Life Membership" in recognition of their service to the club. In February 1838, the club relocated to the Phoenix Park again. As the club continued to prosper, the membership increased each year and 20 to 25 matches were played annually. However, in 1846 the road through the Phoenix Park was widened and the club had to move again. A new ground in an adjacent area was recommended, and in view of the expense already incurred by the Club the move was financed by the "Board of Works," at a cost of £73 and Phoenix has been at its present ground since 1847.