13 May 2009

De La Salle College, Waterford





De La Salle, Waterford
Photographed by S. Ryan, May 2009

The following information provided by S.Ryan from conversation with resident Brother at De La Salle College.

It is believed that a row of 4 handball alleys was built at the time of the opening of De La Salle College in 1892. Two alleys were removed 12-15 years ago to facilitate widening of the road outside the college and the building of a footpath. It was necessary to knock these alleys and rebuild the perimeter wall to the college. Otherwise the alleys remain as when first built with only minor pointing repair work required around some brick on the outside walls.

In 1939 De La Salle closed its doors as a teacher training college and became a secondary school as it remains today. The alleys would have first been used by the trainee teachers and later by the school students. From the 1960s students would have competed in Munster Championships. An All Ireland was never won. The alleys are currently used mainly for hurling by both students and the local community although some local people use it for handball, and in the summer months the Traveller Community plays handball here.

1 comments:

Anonymous said...

Often passed these alleys on my way to Tramore on holidays.

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