After 102 years of dogged effort that was often under-rewarded, Railway Union Cricket Club enjoyed its annus mirabilis in 2006. The wonderful achievements of all teams and of many individual players can be seen as the culmination of a development that started in 1992 when the Under 11s, captained by Roger Whelan, and coached by Brian Donnelly, won the Molins Cup.

As these under 11s became adults and were joined by other players, trophies began to multiply - winners of the Lewis Traub League in 2002, under Gerard O'Brien, the first senior title since 1967 (and also winners of Section B of the Whitney Moore & Keller League); semi-final of the Leinster Conqueror Cup and final of the Royal Liver Irish Cup in 2003 and winners of the Alan Murray Twenty20 Cup in 2004, both under Adrian Murphy; final again of the Irish Senior Cup in 2005 under Kenneth Carroll. In 2003, the 2nd XI reached the final of the Tillain Cup and the 3rd XI the semi-final of the YMCA Salver. And then we had 2006! All records broken - chiara, chiaroscuro!!!.

Brendan O'Brien was awarded the LCU Hall of Fame Award in 2003, when Kevin O'Brien won the LCU Young Player Award, following his brother, Niall, who won it in 2002. In 2006, Kenny Carroll was voted Players' Player of the Year in Leinster and three members of the record-breaking 1st XI - Kevin O'Brien, Roger Whelan and Kenny Carroll were voted onto the Leinster Team of the Year.

FAMILY TRADITIONS

It has been a long journey since the ground opened on Valentine Whelan's dairy farm in 1904, a journey that could be likened to a renaissance painting, notable for its light and shade, chiaroscuro. Success and failure have come in cycles, but the light has never so dazzled as to make us arrogant, nor has the shade turned us to darkness and despair.

Railway Union has been notable for the remarkable loyalty of certain families, with the Whelan torch passing on from Billy and Moya, to Frank and Maurice, and now to Roger, Heather and Jill. From the emergence of Brendan (Ginger) O'Brien in the 1950s - capped 52 times and former Irish captain - we have had all five of Brendan and Camilla's sons, Paul, Gerard, Conor, Niall and Kevin playing for the 1st XI and daughter Ciara, now an established hockey international with more than a hundred caps, who also played on the women's cricket team at Railway. Niall and Kevin, of course, are now senior Irish internationals.

We have had two generations of O'Mearas since the late Joey, who left us so early in 2001, grew up with Ginger in the 1950s. The three sons of Joey and Valerie - Gareth, Graham and Gregory have played 1st XI with Gregory on the victorious team of 2006. While it is some years now since Declan Tanham retired, an incredible eleven Tanhams played 1st XI from1940 and Violet Tanham was a pioneer of the first women's team in the 1940s. And as for a first generation family. What can beat the Carrolls? David dedicated for many years to developing the youth teams, Pauline making the 1st XI teas and all three of their sons to the fore, international player Kenneth captaining the 1st XI in their year of glory; Gareth, treasurer and also 1st XI regular; and Derek, for some reason known as Pringle, team secretary and pushing his way up the ranks almost to frequent 1st XI.

Ever-present in the club has been Derek Scott, who since 1948, has been our representative on the Leinster Cricket Union executive committee. Derek, captain of the 1960 team which brought the Senior League back to Park Avenue for the first time, was assistant honorary secretary of the Irish Cricket Union from 1953 to 1974 and then honorary secretary from 1974 to 1997. He was president of the ICU for 2001, the third Railway Union man to achieve this distinction, following Leonard Amoroso, 1953, and Kyrie Tanham, 1967. Frank Whelan, a player and administrator of impeccable Railway tradition and loyalty, served as president of the Leinster Cricket Union from 2004-2006, being also LCU delegate to the Irish Cricket Union.

Other members who made significant inputs in administration and coaching at provincial and national levels over the years, include Brendan O'Brien, Rodney Molins, Desmond Watson their invaluable scorer, when the Carlisle Club closed down in 1998, Denzil Tipping, Joey O'Meara and Graeme Guthrie.

PROMOTION TO SENIOR RANKS

We experienced the light of chiaroscuro when, in 1904, cricket was one of the original clubs founded at Park Avenue. We were promoted to senior ranks in 1911. There were no leagues then but, in 1918, the 2nd XI won the Intermediate Club and when the Leinster Senior League was inaugurated, we were a founder member. Our best player in those early years was Louis Bookman who scored many fine centuries and played for Ireland on 14 occasions between 1920 and 1930. He went to Leinster CC after receiving an unfortunate knock on the head.

The chiaroscuro shade was experienced in 1930 when a number of the better players left the club. We were relegated to junior ranks and almost perished. Survival through the 1930s was largely due to J.J.Mackay, treasurer and chairman, and Ernie Banks, secretary, along with Harry Gale, Jack Hanna and Gerry Lyons. The chiaroscuro light shone again when the 1st XI, captained by Kyrie Tanham, won the Intermediate Cup in 1939. In 1940 we entered the new Senior II League and won the Senior II Cup in 1942. In that final at Sydney Parade, Railway, captained by Louis Sumerling, scored 97 all out, with Billy Whelan best on 51 and extras next best with 11. Monkstown fell for 77, with Phil Crowe hitting 35 and Kyrie Tanham taking 5 for 26. The winning of the Senior II League in 1944, under the captaincy of Billy Whelan, was rewarded with return to senior ranks in 1945. As a junior team, we had played in the Senior Cup and Billy Whelan, on senior debut, took six for nine, including a hat-trick in the cup match against Civil Service at Park Avenue in 1940. We should also recall that in 1946 the 3rd XI, captained by Eddie Hayes, won the double of Minor Cup and League.

Alas, we soon made a switch again to a chiaroscuro shade. Our batting was weak and we struggled for some years, but Kyrie Tanham and Billy Whelan continued to play 1st XI until the late 1950s. Many good cricketers joined us in the 1940s and 1950s, including Leonard Amoroso, Des Tubbert, Dermot McNeaney, Barney Colgan, Kevin Dempsey, Johnny Lombard, Ken Ayling, Eddie Tew, Frank Miller, Don Banks, Niall McConnell, Noel Fitzsimons, Gerry Harvey, Harry Singh, Gary Connolly, Edgar Pigot and Michael Brennan.

GREAT TEAMS OF THE SIXTIES

The tide turned again during the late 1950s, when our schoolboys, most of them from the Sandymount area, won the leagues at all age levels. They included Dessie Byrne, Brendan O'Brien, Joey O'Meara, Des, Brian and John Donnelly, Leo Behan, Kevin Brennan, Jim Mackenzie and Peter and Brian Grehan and, slightly later, Frank and Maurice Whelan. In 1960, captained by Derek Scott, we achieved that seemingly ever-elusive first capture of the Leinster Senior League, suffering only one defeat, against Merrion. The bowlers were dominant with Niall McConnell taking 70 wickets for 788 runs, Edgar Pigot finishing with 40 wickets for 583 runs and the late Edgar Page scoring 354 runs in 14 innings. In 1961, we were defeated by Trinity College in the Senior Cup final at Sydney Parade, and Graeme Guthrie, soon to be one of our own, scored 73 before Niall McConnell clean bowled him. The next year, 1962, the League was won again, under the captaincy of Edgar Pigot. The reserve strength of the 1st XI during the 1960s was reflected in the performances of the 2nd XI which won the Cup in 1963 and Section A of the Senior 2 League in 1967, led from the front by the dynamic and effervescent Des Stirrat.

The Leinster Senior Cup was captured for the first and, so far, only time in 1967, when Brendan O'Brien was captain. Brendan was by this stage established on the Irish team becoming, with Joey O'Meara, the only Railway man to be capped during those years. Joey's incredible spin bowling in 1962 when he took 6 for 3 against Malahide, 4 for 10 against Clontarf and 7 for 58 against Phoenix was rewarded with caps for Ireland in 1963. Frank Miller won his 16 caps with Railway between 1949 and 1955. Brendan O'Brien continued, for nearly another forty years, as our pre-eminent run machine, achieving more runs and appearances than anybody else ever in Leinster Senior cricket. Brendan, known to all except Camilla as "Ginger" is, and will remain, a legend!

The late Niall McConnell, consistent over thirty years, accumulated more wickets than any other Railway bowler, before or since, to finish in 1978 with 1033 wickets, exactly the same as Gerry Kirwan of Clontarf was to achieve, but behind the invincible Jimmy Boucher who finished with 1313 wickets. Niall then played for Wexford Wanderers for several more years.

For wicket-keeper, we had the imperious Irish international, Frank Miller, in the 1950s and he was followed by Dessie Byrne who, over a 32-year career from 1955 to 1987, had a total of 478 dismissals, which, uniquely, were made up of more stumpings (254) than catches (224). The current Irish wicket-keeper is Niall O' Brien who, in 2003, with Kent, became the first Railway member to win an English county contract and played three seasons of first-class cricket with the county. Niall was joined as an Irish international in 2006 by his brother Kevin and by Kenneth Carroll.

The 1970s were years of relative shade and none of the men's sides won anything, but they saw the introduction of the 4th XI, soon to be followed by the 5th XI and eventually the 6th X from 1984 to 1989. Fred Austin, the usual 5th XI captain before Neville Clarke inherited the mantle, never needed a new ball, the old black one, with its seamless magic, being made to last an entire season - at least!

SUCCESS AT JUNIOR LEVEL

While the 1st XI did not win a senior trophy from 1967, until promotion as winners of Section B in the Belvedere Bond League in 1994, the junior teams were inspired by people like Neville Clarke, Rangan, Graham Chisholm, Fred Austin and Eddie Tillain. Numerous trophies were won by 2nd XI - Senior 3 League in 1980, Senior 2 Cup in 1986, Tillain Cup and Senior 2 League in 1987, Senior 2 Cup in 2006; 3rd XI - Intermediate A League in 1979, Middle Cup in 1989, Middle A League in 1990, Middle A League and YMCA Salver in 1998, Middle A League in 2000; 4th XI - Junior B League and Junior Cup in 1979, Junior A League in 1981, Intermediate B League in 1982, Intermediate A League and Whelan Cup in 1985, Intermediate A League in 1997, Middle B League in 1998, Junior B League in 2006; 5th XI - Junior C League in 1981, Minor Cup in 1994. The 6th XI did not win any league or cup but were watched by President Ronal Reagan in the Phoenix Park in 1984.

Recent years have seen an increase in the number of LCU awards for playing and for fair play. Winners of playing awards have included Graeme Guthrie, Crawford Tipping, Denzil Tipping, Brendan O'Brien, Ross Wynne and Simon Grehan. Fair play winners have included Rodney Green, Rodney Molins, Alan Corcoran and Gareth Carroll.

BUILDING ON YOUTH

The brilliant team of the 1960s arose from the youth team of the 1950s and, likewise, the achievements of today are based on the schoolboys of the 1990s, inspired by the dedication of many coaches and helpers, especially Brian Donnelly and David Carroll. It all started with the Under 11s, captained by Roger Whelan, winning the Molins Cup in 1992. This cup was captured again in 1994, captained by Kenneth Carroll and, in 1995, under Kevin O'Brien. The Under 13s won their cup in 1994, under Roger Whelan, and again in 1995 under Niall O'Brien.

Seven members of 1992 Under 11 team have since represented Ireland at underage levels, Kenneth Carroll U-19 and U-23; Gregory O'Meara U-17, Conor Mullen U-15 and U-23; Kevin O'Brien U-15, U-17, U-19 and U-23; Roger Whelan U-15; Niall O'Brien U-15, U-17, U-19, and Michael Boland U-13 (as a Pembroke player). Kevin O'Brien played for Ireland in the Under 19 World Cup in Bangladesh in 2004 and was contracted to the MCC at Lord's for 2004 and 2005. Niall O'Brien, Kevin O'Brien and Kenneth Carroll have won senior caps, with Kevin, Kenneth, Roger Whelan and Conor Mullen winning A caps. Niall, Kevin and Kenneth are in the Irish squad for the World Cup in the West Indies in 2007, with Roger in the stand-by squad. Prior to all of this, Gareth O'Meara played on the Irish Schools XI.

The prospects for the future are in the hands of today's youths and, as in the 1990s they are building upon such successes as the Under 11s who, again in 2002, captained by David Mays, won the Molins Cup. These new young players are coming to the fore with Dhruv Kapoor and Hugo Mays, for example, playing for Ireland Under 13 in 2006, Dhruv having been capped also in 2005. Several players were capped for Leinster in 2006 - Dave Sihra U-15, Chris Coburn U-14, Hugo Mays and Dhruv Kapoor U-13, Mark Ingram and Kunal Kapoor U-12 and Paraic Flanagan U-11.

THE WOMEN RETURN

Women's cricket started in Railway Union during the 1940s, led by Violet Tanham and Moya Whelan. They played with modest success, but there was a keenly-fought annual match against the schoolboys. Women's cricket returned in the late 1970s. The Railway women were to be a significant force as both players and administrators, but their record has also been one of chiaroscuro, light and shade. Numerous league and cup wins and individual players' awards led to the 1st XI winning the Pilkington Plate in 1997. The 1st XI won Junior 2 League in 1984, Junior Cup in 1990, Division 2 League and Junior Cup in 1991, the Division 3 League in 1994 and Division 2 League in 1996. The 2nd XI won Division 4 League in 1985, Division 3 League in 1987, Minor Cup in 1992 and Windmill Leisure Minor Cup in 1993. The youth team won Under 15 League in 1992 and 1994. Winners of individual trophies include Mary Breen (née McDermott), Helena Carter, C. Coolican, Nikki Squire, Linda Finnerty, Hilary O'Reilly, Ciara O'Brien, Heather Whelan and Joanne Keeley.

Nikki Squire, with 37 Irish caps between 1991 and 2001, captained Ireland on six occasions and was the victorious captain in the European Cup in 2001. She also captained South Leinster and Ulster .Other capped players were Catherine O'Neill, Clare O'Leary, Heather Whelan and Lara Molins. Hilary O'Reilly and Sharon Molins captained South Leinster.

While, sadly, the women's team has now gone in to the shade and has not competed for some years, we know the cycle will turn again, and there is hope with the emergence of the present schoolgirls team. Great contributions have been made to Railway Union by such members as Mary Breen, Elaine Coburn, Judy Cohen and Hilary O'Reilly. Mary was president-elect of the IWCU before its amalgamation with the ICU, Elaine Coburn has been president and treasurer of the IWCU. Judy Cohen was the last president of the IWCU in 2001 and has also been secretary. She has been Irish scorer since 1986. Hilary has also served as president and was manager of the Irish team in the 1988 World Cup in Australia.

THANKING OUR SPONSORS

Railway Union, like all sports clubs, has had to fight its way for sponsorship so that it can achieve its potential and we have been lucky to benefit from the generosity of such people as Rangan, Paul Barry, Eddie Tillain, Graham Chisholm and Joey O'Meara, among others, who hassled everyone they knew on the highways and the byways and often the fairways.

Looking to the future, we shall not allow the light of 2006 to dazzle us and but we hope it will continue to shine. We must not be complacent. What goes up also goes down as we have seen over the past century. Chiaroscuro needs both light and shade to achieve its effect and the joy at our achievements in 2006 is all the sweeter because we have known the hard times but we have always been a cheerful and a hospitable club. We hope will shall remain so.