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Robert (Roy) Torrens OBE (1948-2021) was a legend of Irish cricket. Player, selector, administrator and team manager, Big Roy’s commitment and dedication to Irish cricket cannot be understated.
To mark Roy’s wonderful contribution to Irish cricket, Cricket Ireland on behalf of the players and staff have created a centrepiece memorial – a bell, safeguarded by Cricket Ireland to be sounded 5 minutes ahead of play and each subsequent session in each home Irish international match.
A fitting celebration of Roy’s life, and a symbol of centuries of Irish maritime tradition. Within the maritime community, the ship’s bell holds an enduring significance. 8 bells are sounded for the end of the watch, for the end of the year or when a sailor dies aboard ship.
In the game of cricket, the bell holds a similar importance. Before each game, a bell is sounded to signal the start of play to herald a new beginning. It is fitting that this philosophy marked Roy’s enduring contribution.
The ringing of the five-minute bell by an international cricketer, administrator or well-known enthusiast of the sport is a recent tradition introduced in 2024.
The bell is rung to signify the imminent start of play, and it has become a great honour to be invited to ring it on the morning of an international match.
The list of respected figures who have rung the bell follows:
Cecelia Joyce is a former Irish international who played 133 times between 2001 and 2018.Â
She finished her Ireland career with a total of 2,680 runs with a high score of 119* against Scotland in 2014.
Also an elite hockey player, Cecelia remains involved in the game, most notably as the President of the Irish Cricketers' Association.
Isobel Joyce is a former international captain who played for Ireland between 1999 and 2018 - captaining her country 62 times.
When she retired at the 2018 Women's T20 World Cup, the all-rounder had scored 2,623 runs at 21.15 and taken 137 wickets at 25.59 (Isobel remains Ireland Women's highest wicket-taker).
An active cricket coach, Isobel has forged a post-playing career as a cricket commentator and analyst.
Siobhan McBennett is a former President of the Irish Women's Cricket Union.
A major driving force in the area of scoring in Leinster, and a major player in the development and success of her beloved Rush Cricket Club, Siobhan is the current president of Cricket Leinster and sits on the Board of Cricket Ireland.
Clare Shillington is a former Irish international who played from 1997 to 2018.
She amassed 3,328 runs at 22.04 with two centuries and 12 half-centuries.
When she retired at the 2018 Women's T20 World Cup, Clare was the most-capped Irish woman and leading run-scorer.
A long-time cricket coach, Clare also sits on Cricket Ireland's High Perfomance Committee.
Stella Downes has been central to the running of Clontarf Cricket Club – and cricket in Ireland generally – for over 25 years. As well as long periods in Clontarf CC as Scorer, Club Secretary, Player, Child Protection Officer and general club administrator,
She has also been the Ireland Men’s National Team Scorer for most of that period. As part of that function, Stella has scored over 200 international and inter-provincial matches, plus innumerable club matches. In recent years, Stella has led the way in Scorer education, and she is also an accomplished sports administrator, having sat on multiple competition and management committees.
She was the first female president of Cricket Leinster (in 2020-21) and is the second female President of Cricket Ireland.
Donna Armstrong is a leading light in the world of cricket representing and developing women’s cricket in Ireland as the NCU’s first women’s Irish International.
Playing as a right-handed middle-order batsman, Donna made her international debut at the 1983 Centenary Tournament in the Netherlands. She finished her international career in 1991, having played 20 ODIs. Donna is also the vice-President of Cricket Ireland.
Elaine is a passionate supporter of Irish cricket and has followed the journey of both men's and women's teams around the world.
She was Treasurer of the Irish Women’s Cricket Union and Leinster Women’s Cricket Union - and is also a former President of the Irish Women’s Cricket Union.
Miriam Grealey played for Ireland 80 times over an 18 year career, widely seen as one of Ireland’s greatest all-rounders.
She represented Ireland with distinction, captaining on 34 occasions.
The first Ireland Women's cricketer to 1,000 ODI runs, following retirement Miriam continued to be involved as Coach, Team Manager and Selector amongst other roles. Miriam entered the Irish cricket Hall of Fame in 2017 and was made an Honorary Life Member of the MCC that year.
Judy has worn many hats within Irish cricket.
Best known to many as a long-term scorer, Judy has scored since 1986 at club, provincial, domestic representative and international levels.
However, perhaps Judy's most significant roles were with the Irish Women's Cricket Union where she was secretary and then was the last President of the IWCU in 2001 when the entity merged with the then Irish Cricket Union.
Kyle is a former Ireland Men's captain with 227 caps between 1996-2009.
A right-hand bat and right-arm off-break bowler, he made 3,616 runs at 23.33 (two centuries, 11 fifties), and claimed 256 wickets at 30.11.
A teacher by trade, Kyle is currently the headmaster of a Belfast school, but is still called upon to be an expert commentator or pundit on the Irish game. In 2024, he was inducted into the Irish cricket Hall of Fame.
Murray was recognised in 2018 with a national award for his outstanding contribution to Irish Cricket, and particularly to cricket in Northern Ireland.
A former Chairman of the Irish Cricket Union and former President of Cricket Ireland, Murray was a long-term Cricket Ireland Company Secretary, and sits/sat on numerous committees. Has a tireless and long-term commitment to the game at a grass-roots level - leads on Schools’ competitions programme for all age categories annually across Northern Irish schools, and in delivering Ulster and Irish Universities cricket competitions.
Kevin is a legend of the Irish game former Ireland Men's international with 389 caps between 2006-2021.
A right-hand bat and right-arm medium-fast bowler, he made 9.048 runs at 27.84 (six centuries, 40 fifties), and claimed 276 wickets at 28.23.
Kevin held the record for the fastest century in a Cricket World Cup when he smashed a 50-ball ton against England in 2011. A member of Ireland's inaugural men's Test XI, he struck 118 in the second innings against Pakistan.Â
As a tribute to her late husband, Roy Torrens, the bell was unveiled and rung for the first time by Joan Torrens.
Roy was a right-arm fast bowler who batted right-handed. He represented Ireland 30 times between 1966 and 1984, taking 77 wickets at an average of 25.66.
Following retirement, he went into administration and became: a national selector, was Cricket Ireland President (2005) and subsequently team manager to the Ireland men’s team for 11 years (2005-2015).
