Jack Dearden
Jack was an outstanding wicketkeeper during the Second Golden Era winning 12 Senior Challenge Cup Finals and playing a big part in the 8 League wins. Jack somewhat notoriously claimed for ‘lost wages’ from the NCU after his interprovincial selection, the claim being declined as it would have deemed him to be a professional! In 1926 he took 46 wickets behind the stumps and a year later set an Irish record with 54 victims. He was a great club tourist and travelled under the name of Mr. North. Mr A Hunter gave him a verse in The Big Hall celebrations in 1926 thus:
I hope that Jack Dearden won’t lose of his rag
If I offer to buy him a new cricket bag,
In Blackpool his old one was in for repairs,
And to get it he waited two hours on the stairs
Tra La La Tra La Lee,
The best team in Ireland is North Down CC
Jack’s International career Here