Dalkey Archives

The away fixture to Ashford at Oak Hill is one of the joys of the summer season. Despite light drizzle on the M11, by the time we arrived the scene […]

The only thing worse than the dark was the rain. The only thing worse than the rain was the cold. The only thing worse that the cold was the slowly-relenting […]

First, the good news. Both teams turned up for the game. The reverse game had been arranged earlier in the summer between the Archives and Wicklow, for which the latter […]

For a while it looked as though fire might stop play in the first of the Archives’ two losses in this year’s Handbags. However, in the end it was Merrion’s […]

On a lovely evening in the picturesque setting of the St Columba’s and after a good win the week before, The Archives (notwithstanding a somewhat unfamiliar line-up) felt confident against […]

The last time there was this much Archive-on-Archive action was when we played Ashford in 2021. But this time the opposition was the Law Library or ‘Bar’ XI. Such has […]

In the end, Captain Dunphy had all the miracle workers he needed. We were in Kildare. St Brigid’s old stomping ground. It would have been only marginally less surprising to […]

According to the website Walnuts International, walnuts were used by the Ancient Greeks to ease headaches and are said by some (perhaps not very rigorous) scientists to “prevent depression”. While this […]

After the drama and excitement of last season’s two epic battles between the Archives and Malahide, this was a match distinguished by three Archive’s debutants. This was the Archives first […]

Having previously only ventured as far afield as Balbriggan in North Dublin, the Dalkey Archives rounded off another enjoyable season with their first trip out of the Pale all the […]

As dawn broke on a long awaited and much anticipated Handbags Sunday, early risers were rewarded with a sunny morning and the promise of a fine day to come.

On a gloomy Friday evening, Dalkey Archives headed down to Bray for a fixture more usually played at the beginning of the season after the rugby season has finished. However, […]

The Archivists headed south to the magnificent Oak Hill in Wicklow to take on Ashford CC in a fixture that usually rounds off our season in September. As Bennett had […]

On a sunny warm evening in the wonderful surroundings of Terenure college the Archives took on the Walnuts in a return match seeking to reverse the result of a close […]

On yet another blazing June evening, the Dalkey Archives headed north for a match against a Malahide team that had already beaten us earlier this season in a competitive game […]

The form lines for this home match were ominous. After three straight defeats, the Archivists welcomed a confident Phoenix team that had apparently won its first three matches of the […]

The first real heat of spring weather on a fine evening in Shanganagh was perhaps a foreboding of the heat to come in the final over of this close match. […]

The Archivists were prematurely roused from their hibernation by a call at very short notice from Merrion CC for this April game. With the help of Walker’s daughter Safia and […]

Just two days after a comfortable victory against Leinster CC, the Archives had to regroup for the stiffer challenge of a 30-over match against Chapelizod CC in the idyllic surroundings […]

Stars align on Observatory Lane; Archives versus Leinster CC The old story is true: slow and steady wins the race, as the tortoises of the Archives recovered from Handbags ignominy to beat […]

The funny thing is that, for a while, it was all going well. Nearing the end of the 6th over against Phoenix Taverners (who batted first at Shanganagh on Friday […]

‘Oh Juliet…’:* Dire Straits for the Archives in Kilkenny  Rain, regrettably, failed to stop play as an underpowered Archives/Law Library X were spanked by the iron hand of Mount Juliet […]

‘A close-run thing’ The Duke of Wellington, speaking to a colleague about his victory at Waterloo in 1815, which ended the Napoleonic wars, described it as a “the nearest-run thing […]

After a comfortable win in the Phoenix Park on the previous Friday, the Archives travelled south to our new home in the equally bucolic setting of Shanganagh Park to entertain […]

Phoenix Rising: the Fixture that Time Adrian Forgot. No sooner had the season ended on the downer that was defeat to Ashford than Walker realised that we had neglected to […]

Some match reports call for the lyricism of Neville Cardus; others for the analytical mind of Mike Atherton; and still others for the lighter touch of Vic Marks or Simon […]

Fresh from their successful defence of the Handbag Trophy just six days before at St. Columba’s, the Dalkey Archives returned to the wonderful setting of the secondary school overlooking the […]

Match cancelled due to rain.

After two heavy defeats to DUMP and Malahide CC, the Archivists returned to the familiar setting of St. Columba’s College on Sunday to play in the Handbags Tournament, a triangular […]