Fingal welcomes its eleventh Cricket Club Ongar CC

Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar T.D. was guest of honour as Fingal welcomed its eleventh cricket club Ongar CC in a special ceremony to mark the start of the 2023 cricket season.

He was joined on the occasion by Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderick O’Gorman, Cricket Leinster President, Mr. Pat Banahan, Senator Emer Currie, Cllr. Kieran Dennison, Cricket Development Manager for Fingal, Mr. Brian O’Rourke, Minister of State at the Department of Transport and Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, Jack Chambers, and Cllr. Tom Kitt.

Like many clubs in Fingal, Ongar’s journey started life as a group of cricket-loving friends who got together to play friendly games at the Latchford Ground in Ongar.  As word spread of cricket in the town, interest grow in the estates, and by 2018, over forty members meant a formal club could be incorporated to play friendly weekend matches.

Ambition grew that for 2020, the formal move into Cricket Leinster league competitions would be the next step, but that was halted by the global pandemic, something that has seen many clubs closed across Europe, let alone, launches cancelled.

However, Ongar CC was committed to the journey, to becoming the eleventh club to join cricket leagues in Fingal, and to place cricket at the centre of its community and providing the right path for young children to follow, something no pandemic could stop.

That spirit, of building back stronger from the pandemic, and the drive to succeed, is something Cricket Development Manager for Fingal, Brian O’Rourke, was quick to identify placed Ongar Cricket Club, and its members out from day 1, for why this club would succeed:

 “Having our Taoiseach open the club was an inspirational and well-deserved day for the members of Ongar Cricket Club led by Arun Reddy Katheri, who have shown incredible resolve to overcome a global pandemic, to launch their club and be part of the united goal of all clubs in Fingal, of building back stronger communities after the pandemic.  I, and all of the clubs, are proud to welcome Ongar CC to the Fingal cricket community”.

For Chairperson, Arun Reddy Katheri of Ongar Cricket Club, the launch is just the start, and the club has ambitious goals for the next two years, which they hope can be achieved with the continued support of Fingal County Council. “We aim to launch a youth team and a women’s team to promote gender diversity and encourage young players to hone their skills." he said. 

Gerry Reardon, Principal Sports Officer, Fingal County Council, joined Brian in congratulating Ongar CC on their achievements:

“I would like to state the whole Sports Development Team’s pleasure at seeing the eleventh cricket club launched in Fingal.  We share the recognition this pays to the Ongar CC members who have overcome a global pandemic, to launch their club, and to do so with their Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar T.D, as the guest of honour."