George Kenny’s claim to a footnote in Irish cricket history is that on one glorious afternoon in 1876 he blazed his way to 266 for Trinity’s 2nd XI against Rathmines School’s Past & Present selection.

It was until June of this year the highest score recorded by an Irishman, despite the best efforts of Decker Curry at an Irish Senior Cup match in CYM a few years back.

Dean McCarter now holds the record score for an Irishman. On 20th June 2009, McCarter, 18 years old at the time, scored 274, in a North-West Senior League match for Killyclooney against Sion Mills.

There were two instances of triple centuries recorded here; 313 by a Captain Oates against the Munster Fusiliers at the Curragh in 1896 and another triple by a visiting sailor at Midleton in the late 19th Century, but neither of these gentlemen were Irish.

Kenny’s innings on also 20th June, but 133 years earlier than McCarter's, in 1876, lasted just four hours as he and A M Whitestone (70) helped Trinity rack up 412 (no declarations in those days), leaving Rathmines time to make 53-1.

Like John Prior with Graeme Hick, Kenny was fortunate to be dropped on 22, but history neglects to mention who did the dropping. There were no sixes at the time either, but he did record one 7, one 6, seven 5s, twenty 4s, nineteen 3s and twenty-three 2s.

While this was Kenny’s greatest cricketing moment, he was quite a well known sportsman on other fields.

In 1875, on the recently opened Lansdowne Road running path, George Kenny stole the show at the Irish Champion Athletic Club championships from such established athletics names as the Davins of Carrick on Suir and Ned O’Grady of Limerick.

There was much anticipation before Kenny’s appearance at the Irish event, as the boy “was reported to have done some wonderful performances in private”, according to Maurice Davin in his reminiscences many years later. Fourteen stone and six feet tall, Kenny, from Galway, was a student at Clongowes Wood. He won the long jump that day with a leap of 22’10”.

He entered TCD later that year, and won everything he entered for at the College Races. Kenny entered for some events at the championship meeting of 1876 but, still suffering from a rugby injury incurred over the winter, he was forced to retire after a single attempt at the long jump.

He never competed again, and died of typhus late in 1876, aged 21.

According to Davin, “No finer type of athlete than George Kenny ever stood in the athletic arena. He was about 6 feet high and weighed close on 14 stone. Had he lived his name would undoubtedly occupy a prominent place amongst the list of athletic champions.”

Below is a list of the scores of 200 or more the author has been able to trace. I would be delighted to hear of any additions. (gsiggins@tribune.ie).

Double hundreds in Irish cricket (at least 59):

313*  WC Oates (Munster Fusiliers) v Army Service Corps, Curragh Camp 1895
287   Pte F Fitzgerald (Munster Fusiliers) v Army Service Corps, Curragh Camp 1895 
274   D McCarter (Killyclooney) v Sion Mills, 2009
266   G M Kenny (DU 2nds) v Rathmines School P&P, 1876
260*  D Curry (Limavady) v CYM, 1998
256   R H Lambert (Leinster) v Co Kildare, 1906
250*  Danza Hyatt (Killymallaght) v North Fermanagh 2005
248*  R H Lambert (Leinster) v Fitzwilliam, 1895
241*  J W Hynes (DU) v Garrison, 1888
238* Johnny Hewitt (Donaghadee) v Millpark
234   D N Trotter (DU) v Phoenix, 1877
233*  AB de Villiers (Carrickfergus) v Cliftonville, 2004
233   E D R Shearer (City of Derry) v Killaloo, 1932
232   J B Ganly (Leinster) v Phoenix, 1929
230*  JW Hynes (DU LVC) v Bangor, 1884
230*  Decker Curry (Donemana) v Bready, 1992

227   Andy McFarlane (Sion Mills) v Strabane 1933
225*  J Dunn (Military of Ireland) v Dublin Civilians, 1885 
225*  Johnny Heywood (Fox Lodge 2) v Bonds Glen 2004
225   W Hone (Na Shuler)  v  NICC,  1883
224*  Mark Heywood (Fox Lodge 2) v Ballyspallen 1995
222*  Colin Randall (Armagh 3rds) v Woodvale 3rds, the Mall
218*  Kris Arjune (Killymallaght) v              2006 
218   RH Lambert (Leinster) v Dublin Garrison, 1906
218   RH Lambert (Leinster) v Dublin Garrison, 1901
213*  Mark Harper (Sion Mills) v Creevedonnell 1983 
213   E Ingram (Leinster) v Phoenix, 1933
210*  J Dunn (Na Shuler) v W Hone's XI 1885
210   Michael Murphy (North County) v Carlisle II, 1989  
210   Michael Donnelly (Rush 4) v Phoenix, Leinster Minor (Middle) Cup Final 2005
208   J M Meldon (DU) v Phoenix, 1891
208*  AB de Villiers (Carrickfergus) v Instonians 2004
208   Adrian Murphy (Ardmore) v Ballyspallen April 2010
207*  DN Trotter (Phoenix)  v DU  1881
207*  Keith Gordon (Fox Lodge 2nds) v Bonds Glen, 2004
207   Jason Brooker (North County) v  CYM 2005
205   JH Nunn  (Phoenix)  v  Dublin Garrison 1886