▁were ▁played ▁on ▁the ▁la wn ▁of ▁the ▁Vic er eg al ▁L odge ▁( Now ▁Á ras ▁an ▁U acht ará in ) ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 3 , ▁the ▁same ▁year ▁that ▁the ▁club ▁had ▁its ▁ground ▁don ated ▁to ▁it ▁– ▁the ▁ground ▁it ▁still ▁uses ▁today . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 8 6 0 s , ▁the ▁Lord ▁Lieutenant ▁of ▁Ireland ▁decided ▁that ▁his ▁civil ▁servants ▁needed ▁some ▁quality ▁rest ▁and ▁recre ation . ▁He ▁spons ored ▁a ▁Bill ▁through ▁Parliament , ▁grant ing ▁civil ▁servants ▁a ▁cr icket ▁ground ▁in ▁Phoenix ▁Park , ▁beside ▁the ▁Dog ▁P ond , ▁where ▁the ▁Civil ▁Service ▁Cr icket ▁Club ▁plays ▁to ▁this ▁day . ▁The ▁club ▁played ▁its ▁first ▁match ▁on ▁the ▁front ▁la wn ▁of ▁the ▁Vic er eg al ▁L odge ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 8 6 3 . ▁ ▁Back ▁in ▁its ▁early ▁days , ▁the ▁club ▁had ▁trouble ▁field ing ▁sides , ▁or ▁to ▁be ▁more ▁precise , ▁field ing ▁sides ▁pun ct ually . ▁In ▁those ▁days ▁the ▁Civil ▁Service ▁worked ▁on ▁Saturday ▁m orn ings , ▁and ▁as ▁most ▁matches ▁were ▁played ▁on ▁that ▁day , ▁starting ▁at ▁no on , ▁the ▁club ▁was ▁almost ▁always ▁a ▁late ▁st arter . ▁This ▁situation ▁gradually ▁improved ▁as ▁office ▁man agers ▁in ▁Dublin ▁Castle ▁and ▁the ▁Custom ▁House ▁developed ▁a ▁blind ▁eye ▁on ▁match ▁days . ▁ ▁The ▁club ▁built ▁a ▁wooden ▁pav il ion ▁with ▁a ▁bar ▁in ▁its ▁bas ement