The Troubles at their Worst
At their worst, the troubles effectively ended the visits of all sports teams to the Province. Admittedly the image portrayed in the media was abysmal, but the much-publicised refusal of English and Scottish teams to travel to Ulster proved to be the death-knell. In cricket, all international fixtures were switched to Dublin, largely at the insistence of the visitors. Touring club teams, a feature of the Fifties, totally disappeared and this colourful era in local cricket came to an end. The Belfast Parks league, a hitherto thriving league set in the parks of Belfast, also fell victim to the deteriorating situation, while army personnel who featured regularly in Muckamore, Lisburn, Eglinton and Holywood teams, largely withdrew their services. The fight to redress the situation is one highlighted by character and resolution. Clubs increased their membership, improved their playing facilities and centred their social activities around the clubhouse. It marked the beginning of a new era in social outlook, with most sportspeople concentrating their social activities on a very localised basis. Members demanded better facilities and clubs like Downpatrick, North Down, Limavady, North and Brigade moved significantly to satisfy that demand. The fight to bring back visiting teams was associated with contemporary sports, and there was a great feeling of achievement when foreign teams once again came to the Province. In recent years both the Indian and Australian test squads have visited Belfast, received a tremendous reception, sampled true Ulster hospitality and departed with a much happier picture of the country. While the image portrayed by the media continues to emphasize the worst side of Ulster, there is little doubt visitors leave the Province with a different outlook. Foreign teams representing a wide variety of sports have been generously welcomed and never the subject of any political or terrorist activity.
Hope for the Future
Cricket offers no solution to the complex problem of Ulster. If an answer is to be found it must come from the hearts of those who see violence as their only tool of debate. The vast majority of the people have long since disassociated themselves from terrorism. As everyday life goes on, cricketers have played their part keeping the sport alive despite numerous setbacks. Morale has continued to be high and sectarianism has failed to penetrate the game. Statistical evidence shows a dramatic increase in playing members, emphasizing the continuing success story of the sport in Ulster. It is a credit to both the clubs and the players that it has not only survived these difficult years, but it has significantly prospered and continues to build hope for the future.
