When Billy Tolan played for The Hills 4ths against Knockharley at Milverton on Sunday September 3rd 2000 his contribution was hardly noteworthy. In fact, opening the innings for The Hills, Billy was run out ‘without troubling the scorers.’
Billy preparing for his last innings for The Hills, 3rd September 2000. Photo courtesy of Joe Curtis
What was remarkable however was that Billy was 76 at the time and between himself and his father Jem, the two Courtlough men had now played competitive cricket in 3 centuries, and had played in every single year of the 20th century, with Billy playing in 64 of them.
The pair were two of the great characters of Fingal cricket.
Born in Courtlough, Fingal in the early 1870s, James (Jem) was the youngest of four brothers. One of the founders of the Fingal League in 1926, Jem came to play his first ever cricket match in the Milverton estate in July 1888. As the son of a small tenant farmer he played for the Woods of Whitestown, Naul in the annual match against the Woods of Milverton.
So called ‘Big House’ cricket was main form of cricket played in the period 1800-1920 in the Fingal area. The Estates had a number of cricket matches throughout the summer. The local gentry were invited to play and if there was a shortage of numbers, estate workers and the sons of tenant farmers were brought in to play.
Though one of the founding fathers of the Fingal League in 1926, Jem opposed the purchasing of the Fingal Cup (still being competed for today) when it was being purchased in 1929 for the 1930 season. His objection was based on his view that the large Cup would encourage young lads to drink. He continued to show concern about the welfare of Fingal cricket until his death in 1947.
Born in 1924, into a family of three boys and two girls, Billy played his first cricket match for Balrothery against Balwinstown in July 1936, at the tender age of 12.
Billy lived most of his life opposite McCormack’s pub in Balrothery, moving to Balbriggan only in his latter years. Although he also played at different times for Knockbrack, Man O’War and Balrothery Billy played most of his cricket with The Hills, travelling the six miles to Milverton on his big Raleigh bike.
Billy Tolan at Balrothery, 2001. Photo courtesy of Joe Curtis
A regular for The Hills until 1999, in that year; on the occasion of his 75th birthday that Billy was made a life member of The Hills, marking his service to the game.
Fingal great Tom Murphy says Billy was a great character, ‘utterly dedicated to cricket; he loved it.’
Local cricket historian, Joe Clinton says Billy’s powers of recall were legendary. “He was capable of giving an accurate ball by ball account of every match he ever played in or watched. His knowledge of Fingal cricket was second to none.”
With his final game in 2000, Billy’s cricket career spanned an incredible eight decades. He died three years later in 2003 at the age of 79.
Billy Tolan May 2001. Photo courtesy of Joe Curtis
Secretary of the Fingal League and Knockbrack CC stalwart, Thomas McGrane sums it up when he says, “cricket was Billy’s life in many ways.”
So there it is. What a remarkable story.
When Billy’s father, James (Jem) had played his first game of cricket back in 1888 who would have believed that his son would be still playing competitively in the year 2000?
Copyright: Cover Point
