Roscommon Town cricket club hosts first-ever tournament

Roscommon Town cricket club marked a historic milestone recently by hosting the first-ever cricket tournament in the town.

Founded in 2023, the club is made up largely of healthcare workers — nurses, HCAs, and other frontline staff — who bring with them a spirit of teamwork, and determination that extends beyond the hospital and into the cricket ground.

The club, home to Roscommon Strikers, is based on a leased site from Roscommon County Council — the old GAA pitch, which last saw action back in the 1970s. However, since taking over the grounds, the club has faced significant challenges. Due to persistent flooding during winter months, the pitch has remained largely unusable, casting doubt on whether investing in its development was worthwhile.

Club secretary Retheesh Thankappan explained: “We were in a real dilemma when we took over from the previous board of directors. Our members were moving to other clubs because we had a ground, but we couldn’t use it. It was difficult to stay hopeful and convince players to believe in the future of our club.”

The current board of directors — Sarun (chairperson), Bivin Gopalan, Midhun, and Retheesh Thankappan (secretary) — took on the responsibility during this difficult period, determined to turn things around.

Despite these setbacks, the members came together with renewed determination in 2025 and decided that something had to change. A temporary but important step was taken — they laid a concrete wicket to allow games to be played, even if the surface isn’t ideal for long-term red-ball cricket. This allowed the club to organise its first full tournament on home soil last weekend.

The club now has close to 50 active members and is growing. However, this growth can only continue if the club can progress to playing professional red-ball cricket.

According to the committee, long-term development depends heavily on resolving the flooding issues with a proper drainage system.

“If we can address the drainage, this club will grow even further. Our goal is to begin training children and young adults in Roscommon, to give them a pathway into cricket right from a young age. That’s where we’re heading, even if, for now, we’ve had to find temporary solutions,” said Mr Thankappan.

“Last weekend’s tournament was honoured by the presence of Dr. Martin Daly TD, Fianna Fil TD for Roscommon-Galway and a well-respected rural GP, as well as John F. Smith, chairperson of the Connacht Cricket Union. Their attendance underlined the growing recognition of community-led cricket initiatives and the importance of supporting grassroots sport across rural Ireland,” added Mr Thankappan.

“Roscommon Town Cricket Club is not just about cricket. It is about belonging, resilience, and building something lasting in the heart of rural Roscommon. The success of the tournament was further bolstered by the generous support of local businesses.

“Molly’s Pharmacy and the Harrison Centre stepped forward with prize sponsorships, a gesture that was both encouraging and deeply appreciated by the club. Their involvement reflects a growing community spirit around the sport and showcases how local enterprises are playing a vital role in supporting grassroots initiatives in Roscommon,” concluded Mr Thankappan.