News

Cricket Ireland was pleased to appear before the Northern Ireland Assembly’s Committee for Communities to outline the continued growth and impact of cricket across Northern Ireland.

Elaine Nolan, Director of Strategy & Growth at Cricket Ireland, alongside Callum Atkinson, Chief Executive of the Northern Cricket Union, provided evidence on:

• Sustained participation growth across more than 60 clubs
• A 55% increase in teams since 2021
• Significant expansion in women’s and girls’ cricket
• Accessing and increasing the facilities for Cricket
• The development of inclusive initiatives such as Cricket Connects and Table Cricket
• The strategic opportunity presented by the European T20 Premier League and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2030

The discussion reflected strong cross-party recognition of the role cricket is playing in promoting participation, inclusion, volunteering and community wellbeing.

We appreciate the constructive engagement and support from Committee Members and from Minister Lyons, and we look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with the Department for Communitiesand partners to progress the next phase of development for cricket in Northern Ireland.