Creator(s): Kingston Grammar School Hockey Club
Avoca Hockey Club
Administrative History ↴
The Kingston and Avoca Grammer School witnessed the establishment of the AHC in 1891 which led to the formation of the Old Boys School Past and Present Hockey Club in 1895. The club won the Irish Junior Cup in 1897 and the team soon progressed to play in Senior League and Cup Competitions. The club was re-formed in 1929 and the team continued to play at the site for the new school since 1936. The new school built in 1973 is known as Newpark School. Between 1972-1976 the men’s team grew from four teams in 1972 to eight in 1976 and in addition four ladies teams were formed in 1976. The Department of Education gave official recognition to hockey team during the planning stage for the new school and the school committee retained the original title of Avoca Hockey Club because of their popularity and excellent reputation. The club has attained high standing at both Leinster and Irish hockey were the team dominated Leinster hockey leading to the capture of the Irish Senior Cup in 1996. This success was followed in 1996 when Newpark School won the All Ireland Schoolboy Championships in 1997. A grant from the National Lottery enabled the club to install a state of the art Astroturf pitch in 2006. More recently the club in partnership with the Dominican College Sion Hill received a Sports Capital Grant to install a sand dressed Astroturf which was completed in 2015. At 2014 the club has in excess of 538 playing members and the club currently has 3 men’s senior teams and 5 ladies senior teams who compete at Division 1 level in addition to junior girls and boys teams who compete in A leagues. Future plans for the hockey team includes participation in the Irish Hockey League in 2020 with a planned expansion of team members to exceed 800.
Archival History ↴
Papers maintained by AHC until transfer to Dublin City Sports Archive in Autumn 2016. Transfer facilitated by Peter Agnew, Irish Hockey Archive project.
Immediate Source Acquisition ↴
Official Transfer
Content & Structure
Scope & Content: Kingston Grammar School Hockey Club
Avoca Hockey Club ↴
The collection is related to the establishment, administration and sporting history of the Avoca Hockey Club and includes minute and annual reports from the initial setup of the club. Also included in the collection are financial reports, club rules, monthly newsletters and a small collection of black and white photographs of Kingston Grammar School male and female hockey treams dating from 1899 to 1964. Some photographs are linked to individual names but the majority of the individuals are anonymous. The largest and most complete sub fond relates to the scrap books created by club member who contains newspaper cuttings of AHC matches and other related news items (1944-1988). The collection also includes correspondence relating to the construction of an Astroturf pitch at Newpark School, (the current location of the Avoca Hockey Club) which traces the initial plans in 1998 to the completion in 2004. Other publications in the collection includes match programs dating from 1912 to 2006 and Avoca hockey memorabilia dating from 1918 to 1938. A range of correspondence from 1973-1988 relates to the formation of the Ladies Hockey Team. The collection also includes match programmes and publications (1912-2006) and Avoca Old Boys School Past and Present memorabilia (1918-1938) This collection is important because of the historical content relating to the establishment of Irish hockey clubs. Reasearchers and and students alike will find the early match programmes and club newsletters of particular interest. Historians will find the early photographic material valuable from a photographic and historical perspective and also the sports historians will appreciate the material relating to the development of an Irish hockey team from amature to professional level.
Appraisal Destruction ↴
Duplicate material within files has been removed.
Accruals ↴
Additional material may be deposited in future years.
Arrangement ↴
: Mainly arranged in accordance with the club hierarchy, and chronologically within series as follows
1. Annual Reports and Minute Books (1925-1996);
2. General Correspondence (1926-2000);
3. Ladies Hockey Team General Correspondence (1973-1988)
4. Construction of Astroturf Pitch (1998-2008);
5. Membership Lists (1989-1997);
6. Match Programmes and Publications (1912-1924);
7. Newspaper Cuttings (1944-1987);
8. Photographs (1899-1964);
9. Avoca Old Boys School Past and Present Hockey Club
Memorabilia (1918-1938);
Documents within files have been kept in their original order. All items removed from ring binders unless noted.
Conditions of Access & Use
Access Conditions
Available to view by members of the public who apply for a research card at the Dublin City Library and Archives Reading Room. Access to documents that include personal information is withheld for 100 years.
Conditions Governing Reproduction
Reproduction is subject to the Dublin City Library and Archives Reading Room ‘Terms of Membership’, and in accordance with copyright legislation. Publication is by permission of the City Archivist.
