A genteel type of pastime of French origin was the temporary craze in those lazy days of the mid 1800's. Dublin's aristocrats and those not so aristocratic, young and old, men and women, disported themselves at bal-ballon. For some, though, the sport was not quite energetic enough. It did not altogether suit the volatile temperament. An alternative was sought.

"Some of the Young Blades of the time did not consider the game spirited enough and decided to try their hand at cricket" wrote the legendary Bob Lambert when reminiscing about the birth of a club of which he was to become it's most celebrated member. "Only a few isolated matches had been played, but once the Rathmines boys became interested, cricket's popularity was assured.", he recalled in later years, tongue in cheek.

So the Leinster Cricket Club came into being on May 1st, 1852. According to the original minute book preserved in John Lawrence's Handbook for 1865, "twenty five names were immediately enrolled as original members." The first match was played on June 29th 1852 against Roebuck, who scored 52 and 44 to Leinster's 62 and 24, and the first victory was not recorded until September when in the very last match of the season Kingstown were defeated "amid scenes of wild jubilation and celebration."

The club in those early tentative years wandered about Rathmines, from Grosvenor Square, it's original ground, to Rathgar, opposite the end of Garville Avenue in 1853. The following year it moved again, this time to the vicinity of Palmerstown Park where it remained until 1861. The next move was to Emor Ville, opposite Portobello Gardens, on the South Circular Road, before finally coming to roost in the present location in 1865.

Lawrence's Handbook relates that one A.J.Mahon "came forward and purchased a splendid piece of ground expressly for the purpose of securing it's possession for his club, generously giving them a years time to determine whether they would become owners themselves or rent it from him at £60 a year.

"Leinster-like, they wisely determined on complete independence, and the result of the appeal from the committee to the club is shown in the list of subscribers, thereby securing the possession of as fine and conveniently circumstanced a piece of ground as could possibly be hoped for."

"The ground is held under lease for the lives of His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales, H.R.H the Princess of Prussia, and Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh. The Proprietors receive five per cent of their money, the capital being secured by assurance, the total charge against the club funds being about £40 annually." The appeal to club members for funds to help buy the ground raised the necessary £400, a huge sum in those days.

At Observatory Lane, Leinster grew from strength to strength and before long held a prominent position in the expanding cricket circle of sports-conscious Dublin. With a home of their own, the future was now secure.

The first pavillion, a wooden structure was the gift of a most generous gentleman named Robert C. Barbour, who also donated the then princely sum of £60 towards the purchase of the ground. The pavillion was replaced in 1887 by a brick building which, two years later, was destroyed by fire. In a matter of months the brick building was reconstructed to the original design, and the red brick walls remained as the principal feature of the clubhouse until it was replaced in 1995 by the present clubhouse.

The early playing members seem to have been nearly as durable as the bricks themselves! George Frith Barry, the toughest of them all, led the club from 1856 to 1890; S.C. Smith (1891-1909) and R.H.Lambert (1910-1934) were others in long spells at the helm who helped to bring fame, glory and stability to the emerging club. Barry, Smith and Lambert all played for and captained the All-Ireland XI.

Barry's brother, Samuel, was also an early pillar of the club and with several other players of quality coming to the top, it was possible to challenge the permier club, Phoenix, for the first time in 1857.

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