143rd Post: BBC hosts the IPA Mixed Doubles.

 IPA Irish Mixed Doubles    Sat 24th May 2025:

Our first opportunity to host and run an Irish Pétanque Event arrived on Saturday 24th May.  As there were originally 20 teams entered and since the Competition Secretary, Sylver Bréteché, preferred that no team would sit out the early rounds we decided to split the event between Alden Park [ 6 pistes ] and St.Anne's Park [ 4 pistes ].

As Sylver was unable to attend Ciarán offered to run the event with the 18 teams committed to the day.  12 teams were grouped to play in Alden and 6 teams went directly to St. Anne's Park to commence by 10:30 under Tom D's supervision.

Both venues had much maintenance work done in advance both by members of BBC and with the input of Fingal Co Co [ Alden Park] and Dublin City Co. [ St. Anne's Park].  BBC volunteers [ James and Mairéad ] had already helped to weed Piste 3 and the bench area in St. Anne's.  

In Alden Park, with grant aid of €150 from Bayside Community Association, we bought plants and manure from Frank in Greendale Garden Centre to plant in Tom Buckley's right-angled planters.

As you can see we had to place netting over them as foxes had disturbed them the first night!  We met with officials from Fingal Co.Co. and they were proactive and positive about the game and the benefits it was bringing to the area.  They offered to put in four ordinary park benches for viewing games.  The bases are in position awaiting the installation of the seats.

Bayside Community Association lent us three Gazebos in case of inclement weather.  We did a practice run erecting them the day before and along with Gerry's they were needed in the afternoon as the heavy showers arrived.  One gazebo was used in in St. Anne's.

The event itself was a great success with Ciarán managing all aspects and liaising with Tom D in St Anne's to ensure the results were available to all teams after each round.  Photos from St. Anne's.  Many thanks to Eileen D, Yvonne and Hamed for their assistance setting up and dismantling.   Owen Kelleher [Griffeen] acting treasurer of the IPA had a timer clock and a loud, hand-held whistle, a large measuring tape and a Pétanque banner available for us to use.

St.Anne's Park

After contact with Dublin City Council and the park superintendent, Joe O'Reilly, and despite how busy they were with other 'events' they delivered and spread a top dressing of grit which will benefit the Wednesday group there and hopefully promote the sport.  The visiting teams were impressed with the facility and of course the proximity of the café and toilets.

 Alden Park:

Groups B and C [ 6 teams in each group ] played 4 x 45 min games in fairly quick succession.  Group A teams played in St. Anne's Park. 

Naim's partner was unavailable so Ciarán asked our next lady reserve, Maureen, if she would partner him.  She agreed and played extremely well both in St. Anne's and Alden Park.  The teams arrived from around the country and all teams arrived with time to spare and the organiser was spared the nuisance of an absent team.  The novel idea of a two centre venue turned out to be workable and we heard no complaints regarding the venues.

The weather was kind until the afternoon when some of the players in the latter stages had to brave the elements.  The chart below lists the Quarter Finals to Final bracket.  

As you can see our own Maureen Deane , with assistance from Naim Blackaprince, made the final.

Maureen payed wonderfully all day.  She pointed with aplomb while Naim generally shot the opposition out.  Unfortunately, one effort by Naim in the final presented the opposition with a points advantage from his final boule.  Yaness and Debra consolidated their advantage and deservedly won the competition.  Congratulations to the Cavan/Waterford combination on their victory.  

Our thanks particularly to Gertie, who liaised with the school hall committee to allow us use toilet facilities in the hall area, and to all the BBC club members who remained behind to dismantle the 'Event' afterwards.  Much appreciated.  Congratulations to Ciarán on his running of his first National Event so efficiently.  The comments from the participating clubs were very complementary on social media.

Meeting the Legend:

While in St Anne's Park we bumped into our former player Gerry Wolfe who, despite recent hospitalisations, was cycling and meditating in the park.  He was asking for everyone and hoped to call on Saturday to watch the event in St. Anne's.

BBC Doubles Matchplay:

The well-organised, well-attended, self-guided Doubles Matchplay reached its conclusion last Sunday 25th May.  The final was contested by Larry and Erica v Joan and Kessen after some weeks of blessed weather and competitive play.  It was obvious that the standard of play across the board has improved.  Joan and Kessen were successful on the day and worthy winners of the competition. Congratulations all concerned.

From this event and the Irish Mixed Doubles we realise that great 'Pointing' is essential but that the skill of  'Shooting' separates 'the best from the rest'.  Gradually many of the BBC players are becoming more adept and our standards are improving tactically and skillswise.  Kessen will be an important tutor as well as player for the club.  We will reinstate the shooting practices when Tom D is fit to carry out equipment!

Monday Competition:

Chris was the worthy winner, once again, of the BBC Monday Competition.  Larry presented Chris with the Tommy Walsh Trophy.  Congratulations Chris.  The weather this quarter was very kind and attendances were 20+ most mondays.  Nigel and Vivian were welcome additions, not just for their skills, but their infectious enthusiasm. It is proving a most enjoyable competition and the Fingal officers, on a recent visit, were suitably impressed with such a number playing at such an early hour on a Monday!

Transition Year Finale:

The Transition Year students from St. Fintan's High School completed their Friday access programme to Pétanque/Boules in Alden Park on Friday 17th May.  The final three sessions were extremely well attended with 28 pupils one of the days. The school has had one of their most successful years in a range of sports and Boules is just an additional offering.  We had a small competition the final three weeks leading to a presentation of a dual set of Boules to the winner, Jamie Lubo.

 Assistance from Tom B, John O'C, Chris G, Hamed S and Ciarán was essential for the smooth running of the events.  The school hope to continue the engagement next year for an extended period.  It will have to be on Fridays and a Teacher will need to be present are our stipulations.  We must commend the vast majority of the students who were courteous, grateful and biddable across the weeks.

Primary School Boules:

Ciarán continues to engage with the Senior Primary School regarding the use of the boules facility and coaching.  He is coaching one group but other classes are coming out to play since Easter and hopefully in September next.  The explosion of interest is teacher-led with the pupils gathering at the railings at break times where they've learned the basics also.  

We don't have photographs of the sessions but 40+ pupils, on occasions, have been on the pistes with the gear provided last year by he BBC via grant support.  It is wonderful to see and Ciarán has organised that no adult players from BBC should be playing from 1300 hours to 1500  hours for the periods either side of the summer holidays to support the development of these juvenile players.

I can only imagine that this experiment is not replicated anywhere on the island. Congratulation Ciarán et al.