Edenderry Tennis Club

Water colour of old Club House

Laurelvale Cricket Club

During the 1965 and 1966 seasons Laurelvale played their home games at Chambers Park, Portadown. This was because a new square was being laid on the cricket pitch in Laurelvale. 1965 was the most successful year ever in the clubs history, during that year they won the trophies listed and shown in the picture taken at Chambers Park.



Laurelvale Firsts and Seconds 1965/66

Winners of the Qualifying league section A, Junior Cup, Minor Cup, Minor League Division E Cup and All Ireland Junior Cup.



Back Row: D McBarritt, ? , I Pearson, J Coon, I Hazley, R Upton, J Irwin, W Gowing, R Quinn, H Conn, R Wallace.

Second Row: D Adair, G Thompson, W Cloughley, D Willis, W Thompson, J Hyndes, R Thompson, T Irwin, R Lawson, T Atkinson.

Front Row: P Irwin, G Duke, J Tweedie, J Redpath, T Atkinson, Rev F W Gowing, H McCrory, E Vennard, J Black, C Tucker, M Pearson.
Photo courtesy of Richard Edgar

Edenderry Primary School Football Team 1950-51

Photo courtesy of Rotary

PORTADOWN COLLEGE 1st XV - 1921-22

Photo courtesy of Rotary.

Portadown Cricket Club

Photo courtesy of Rotary.

Louise Lawson's (nee Fleming) 1st Hockey International

The neighbours of Watson Street waving & wishing good luck to Louise Lawson (nee Fleming) as she leaves the Street to join up with her Irish Hockey team mates as they prepare to take on England in her 1st International.
Louise went on to become one of Edenderry's greatest sporting heroes.
Photo courtesy Portadown Times.

Seagoe CLB 5 a side team early 50's

The Seagoe Chuch Lads Brigade team played in the final in the early 50's. They lost to Armagh in the final.
Teams:-
Back row L/R Nel Tarlton,Armagh,Armagh,W Porter,H Cartmill,Armagh,W Roney
Front row L/R J Roney,Armagh,R Roney,J Davidson

Photo courtesy Roy Roney

Seagoe B Team - Badmington

They played in the Mid Ulster League & played their matches in the Parochial Hall.

Photo courtesy Ellen Roney.

Seagoe A Team - Badmington

They played their matches in the Parochial Hall.They played in the Mid Ulster League.

Photo courtesy Ellen Roney

Tavern Darts Team

This darts team represented The Tavern Bar in the Darts League.

Photo courtesy Portadown Times.

Official Opening of Chambers Park

Star Opening For Chambers Park.

Wednesday 4th September 1963 will go down in gold-lettering in the annals of Portadown Rugby Club, for it was the greatest night in the club’s long history.

Several hundred spectators turned up to see the local side take on Ulster, in the first match on Chambers park, the town’s magnificent new playing fields on the Bridge Street/ Lurgan Road.

That Ulster won 21-5 did not matter in the least. That the match took place at all was due only to the tremendous work, that the Rugby Club has done over the past four years in converting, what was only a dump into a playing field, that is the envy of many towns in the Province.

Chambers park is a credit to the town, a memorial to the foresight and ingenuity of the men of the Rugby Club, who turned drawing board plans into reality, in what can only be regarded, as a remarkably fast time.

No longer do rail passengers on the Belfast line look out on a mountain of refuse. They see an expense of lush green grass, a playing field second to none. They see the field, that will provide healthy recreation for hundreds of people all over the Province in years to come.

Wednesday night was certainly a night to remember. Everybody that is anybody in rugby was there and many people who have no interest in the game, were there. They all wanted to see the first match on Chambers Park.

When they look back on it, the spectators and the Portadown team, will remember one thing in particular, Raymond Hunter’s brilliant try, scored just before referee Victor Elliott blew his whistle for half- time.

Hunter raced from well inside his own half, fought off the challenge of three Portadown players, left another three trailing at his heels and placed the ball almost nonchantly between the posts. It was a wonderful try, the highlight of this showpiece.

Hunter had earlier opened the scoring for Ulster. They had six full inter-nationals in their side, but afterwards, Gordon Graham warmed the hearts of the local supporters on a rather cold night, by scoring a try which Brian Gordon converted. The score came after good work by Fred Richardson, but it only acted as a spur to the strong Ulster side and it was no surprise, when Sid Miller got a try, which Brian Marshall converted. Then came the Hunter try that I was talking about.

Portadown, rallied by their captain, Raymond Stewart, whose tackling was particularly good, tightened their covering in the second half, but they could not prevent Ken Quinn from scoring a try which Michael Gibson missed. Gibson made amends, however, near the end, when he scored a fine try just between the posts, He converted it easily.

Following the match, Portadown entertained the Ulster team and other guests, to dinner in the Savoy.

Tommy Wells one of the stalwarts of the club, chaired the function and introduced Mr.Jack Magowan, president of the local club, who in turn welcomed the Ulster team and thanked them for an entertaining match.

Other speakers included Mr. H.M.Thompson, a member of the Chambers Park committee, Mr.H.Mc Kibben, President of the Ulster Branch Rugby Union, and Mr.C.Harte, next year’s Irish President. Raymond Stewart spoke on behalf of the Portadown team and Sid Millar replied.

Ulster Team

R.Agnew. B.Marshall (C.I.Y.M.S.)

A.Sloan. (Lurgan) W.R,Hunter (C.I.Y.M.S)

K. Armstrong (Dungannon) S.D.Johnston (Instonians)

R, Stewart (Captain) W.McKee (Dungannon)

A.Jardine, K,N.Quinn (C.I.Y.M.S.)

B.Gordon, C.M.H.Gibson (N.I.F.C.)

F,Richardson. J.Buckley (Dungannon)

E. Mc Cann (Ballymena) S.Millar (Ballymena)

D.Myles K.W.Kennedy (Q.U.B.)

G.Douglas J.Birch (Q.U.B.)

D.McKeen (Dungannon) W.J.McBride (Ballymena)

W.Morrow K.Wilson (Q.U.B.)

D,Logan J.Kane (C.I.Y.M.S.)

R.Saunders (Dungannon) J.A.Donaldson (Collegians)

G.Graham E.J.Dick (Ballymena)


Referee.W.V.C.Elliott (Portadown.





Portadown Team

Back Row. D.McKeen, R.Saunders, R.Agnew, A.Jardine, K.Armstrong, E.McCann, G.Graham, W.Morrow.

Front Row. G.Douglas, A.Sloan, B.Gordon, R.Stewart, F,Richardson, D.Logan, D.Myles.

Photo courtesy Mr Fred Richardson

Wades FC

The team was:-
Back Row B Sergeant (Secy.),T.Newell (Chairman),W.Young (Team Manager)
Middle Row J. Liggett (Trainer),D.Pentland,G.Smith (Captain),W.Lappin,H.Wright,S.Gough
Bottm Row F.Porter,A.Woods,G.Ridgway(Vice-capt),A.Maxwell,H.Daly,T.Neill