This article is from page 50 of the 2009-05-05 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 50 JPG
KILRUSH has always been inviting — whether it’s the friendliness or the value for money you get around the Parkamoney track that’s been part of the sporting fabric of the west Clare for three quarters of a century.
A lot has changed in the 75 years, but at the same time nothing has changed at all. The value for money and friendliness was there in ’34 —the year the Sheedy family who farmed the land throw it open to three golf- ing enthusiasts by the names of Dr Tom Daly, John Francis and William O’Grady.
For the princely sum of £8 a year they had rent of the land and laid out a 9-hole course, with the help of part- time groundsman Paddy Gallagher and a horse that cost £2-10 shillings.
In those earliest days the Cham- bers family from Moore Street had grazing rights on the course for their sheep — and for a few years there were more sheep and lambs on the course that there were golfers in Kilrush.
One stat from the club records re- veal that the 1943 was a particularly bountiful lambing season on the course — 38 lambs from Parkamoney were sold by the Chambers’ to Tom Nolan’s butcher shop in Kilkee. The club records from this time also show that there were no more than 30 club members during this period.
Fast forward seven decades and it’s a very different story — the sheep with their grazing rights are long gone, the 9-hole became a 15-hole and then finally under the golf sur- geon’s knife of Dr Arthur Spring became an 18-hole course in 1994 at the cost of £120,000.
Value for money like there was in °34, value that extends to the present day as the slogan seen recently at the entrance to the course bore witness to. “Join our club for €250,” it boldly
proclaimed.
It’s part of a membership drive in- stigated by the 2009 club commit- tee. “Years ago it was a very brave decision to undertake the project,’ says secretary manager, Denis Na- gle. “Back then some were of the opinion that we should have a good 9 hole and forget about 18 holes, but membership trebled with the advent of 18 holes and we have a potential gem here thanks to the excellent de- sign foundations laid by Dr. Arthur
Spring,” he adds.
“We have steadily improved our facilities in recent years both on and off the course and we want to do a lot more, but we need more members and more funds. The committee has decided on a drive to recruit new members in 2009.
“We realize that we could not be doing it at a worse time, therefore we have had to make the package really attractive.
‘To be able to join a golf club as a full member for €250 plus GUI lev- ies 18 the cheapest in Ireland as far as I know.
“There is also an outlying mem- bership scheme for those who reside more than 100 kms away. They can join for €150, which is less than what some clubs nearby charge for a 1-day green fee. We have quite a few mem- bers from Ennis and Limerick al- ready but we would welcome more.”
It’s a great calling card for the club — a failte isteach from a club recog- nised as one of the most friendliest in Ireland.
It’s what one golf writer called Kil- rush a number of years ago when sampling the hospitality of Parka- money.