Colors: green and black Date founded 1881 | Home ground: The Seapark Oval Color green and black | |
Holywood Cricket Club is a cricket club in Holywood, County Down, Northern Ireland, playing in Section 1 of the NCU Senior League.
The club was founded in 1881, originally playing at Kinnegar in Holywood. After a storm blew the pavilion away, the club found a new home in 1885 at Belfast Road, where it stayed until 1996. The club experienced difficulties in 1997 as a result of the raising by St Paul’s Gaelic Athletic Club on its adjacent pitch, which was used by the cricket club as its outfield. For the 1997 season, the club used Sullivan Upper School, an arrangement that lasted 8 seasons. In 2005, the club moved to a new facility at the ‘Seapark Oval’ that is provided by North Down Borough Council.
The club has produced many great players over the history and to name a few that have excelled include Bill Pollock, Brian Shannon, Con McCall, Stewart McCormick, Kevin Hinds and Michael Shannon. International wicketkeepers that learned the game at Holywood are Paul Moore and Gary Wilson.
On the administration side, Holywood has produced NCU presidents such as R. M. Erskine and Dawson Moreland. Cecil Cave was President of what is now Cricket Ireland in 1976.
The NCU Graham Cup is also linked to Holywood. In its first year the cup was won by Holywood. The cup was donated by Mr. H Graham and his son, Harry was a member of the team. The final was held at Holywood until the ground at Belfast Road was taken away, and Sullivan ground was not deemed fit for the final.