Ball Alley, Alley Road, Crossmaglen, Co.Armagh, BT35 9HY

Freestanding, largely reinforced concrete, handball court or "alley" constructed in 1926 and extended in 1942. Three walled with an open aspect to the NE the alley comprises a high, rubblestone rear wall, extended and raised in reinforced concrete with 4 piers at the uppermost level, and raked side walls, also reinforced concrete, buttressed externally by 3 piers. The rubblestone element is likely a remnant from the gable of the recreation hall that was formerly on the site which, in turn, may have utilized stone from the earlier chapel. The alley conforms to the standard large-alley size 60 by 30 feet and while smaller alleys were introduced in Ireland in 1969, measuring 40 by 20 feet, both sizes are still used in the game today. The ball alley is located on Alley Road, close the junction with the Dundalk Road, on the grounds of the former Moybane Roman Catholic Chapel. The grassed site is delineated from the road verge by a concrete two-rail fence and arched metal gateway, a vertical timber boarded fence above a stone wall forms the boundary to the SW and hedgerow the remaining boundaries. A detached one-room structure is located behind the main hitting wall (SW) - single skin - sand cement render finish - with dual-pitched corrugated metal roof. On the NW elevation, a single square- headed door opening and metal framed casement window. A square window opening on the SE elevation incorporating a metal casement window with top hung and side hung opening lights. A simple bench is set in front of the hedgerow on the NE boundary. A plague mounted on the road facing elevation is inscribed 1926 1992 MOBANE HANDBALL ALLEY Built 1926. Extended 1942 Restored 1992 Opened 28th June 1992 by Father Donal Sweeney