Mens’ Section
Leinster Bowling Club was founded in 1913 by members of the Leinster Cricket Club (LCC) who were anxious to introduce a new sport to the club.
In March 1927 five Dublin bowling clubs including Leinster decided to establish an association of clubs which was later named “Bowling League of Ireland” (BLI) to control the game of lawn bowls in the republic.
Leinster BC affiliated to the Irish Bowls Association (IBA) in 1929. The Presidency of the IBA was conferred on Pat McGuirk in 1969 and Jack Burke in 1985.
On Saturday 3rd. August 1929, the President of the Leinster Bowling Club, W.D. Hemsworth, performed the opening ceremony of our full size lawn bowling green in its present location.
The first Leinster Bowling Tournament was played in 1945. In recent years it has been co-hosted with Crumlin Bowling Club.
Leinster Bowling Club greatest period of success was during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s when the club won every honour in Irish bowls.
One of the most important successes enjoyed by the club was in 1961 when under the captaincy of Johnny Fulham, Leinster B.C became the first and only southern club to win the Irish Bowling Association Senior Cup.
A more detailed list of the achievements of the Club are contained in our Centenary Booklet “Leinster Bowling Club 1913 – 2013”.
Ladies Section
The Ladies section of the Leinster Bowling Club was formed in 1939.
In 1961 a plan was suggested to form an association of the five Dublin clubs, Leinster, Crumlin, Blackrock, Kenilworth and Herbert Park. This came to fruition in 1962 when the Ladies Bowling League of Ireland (LBLI) was formed.
In 1977 Maura Brown became the first bowler from the republic to win the I.W.B.A Singles.
Down through the years the Ladies section of the Bowling Club brought great honour to the Club. These honours together with a more detailed history of the Ladies section are contained in our Centenary Booklet “Leinster Bowling Club 1913 – 2013”.
In 2005 the Men’s and Ladies sections amalgamated.
Irish Lawn Bowls (ILB).
Irish Lawn Bowls (ILB) was formed in March 2023 following a merger of the Bowling League of Ireland (BLI) and the Ladies Bowling League of Ireland (LBLI). It is recognised by Sport Ireland as the National Governing Body for the sport of lawn bowling in the Republic of Ireland.
Bowling is an all-island sport and the ILB is one of four associations affiliated to the overall governing bodies, the Irish Bowling Association (IBA) and the Irish Women’s Bowling Association (IWBA).
All-Weather Synthethic Green
In 2008 the Executive Committee decided to replace the existing grass green with an All-Weather Synthetic Green with floodlighting. The new synthetic green was constructed to” World Bowls Performance Standards” and was completed on the 23rd. June 2010. The first League match was played on Saturday 26th.June when Leinster under the Captaincy of Tony Hyland held Railway Union to a draw, 62 shots each.
Launch of the All-Weather Synthetic Green, 2010
The new green was officially opened on 16th. July 2010 by Andre Marchand (L.C.C President) and Annette Finn (Leinster), President of the Irish Women’s Bowling Association, (I.W.B.A)
Centenary Booklet
Right click below to save download our Centenary Booklet pdf.