Royal Curragh golf club Kildare

Members Achievements

Young Ella Kenny won the World Championships in Spain in April 2024.
The Ladies of Royal Curragh Golf Club qualified for the Quarter-Finals of the All-Ireland Final of the Women’s Senior Foursomes at Dun Laoghaire Golf Club on Saturday 9th September 2023 when they went down to Castletroy Golf Club by 2½-matches to ½-matches.
In the top match Nessa Conlon with Joan Nordlokken lost their match against Fiona Corbett with Eavan Martin by 6 and 5, the middle match of Marie Sheridan with Anne Bolster was halved against Shirley Real with Sarah Vaughan and in the bottom match Regina Foley with Mary O'Meara lost out by 4 and 3 against Sadhbh Bullock with Aoife O'Neill.

The Ladies of Royal Curragh Golf Club won the Regional Final of the Leinster Central Women’s Senior Foursomes on Sunday 13th August 2023 at Rathsallagh Golf Club when they beat Kilkenny Golf Club by 2-matches to 1-match.

The Ladies of Royal Curragh Golf Club were Runners-Up in the Quarter Finals of the Women’s Junior Cup on Sunday 3rd September 2023 at Doneraile Golf Club when they went down to Castletroy Golf Club by 3½-matches to 1½-matches.
In the top match Regina Foley lost out to Aoife O’Neill by 8 and 6, she was followed by Anne Bolster who lost her match by the minimum against Eavan Martin, next on the tee was Mary O'Meara who lost her match against Ethna Leonard by 3 and 1, in the penultimate match Nessa Conlon halved her match against Mary Crowley and in the bottom match Joan Nordlokken recorded a 4 and 3 win against Sarah Vaughan.
The Ladies of Royal Curragh Golf Club won the Leinster Central Regional Final of the Women’s Junior Cup when they beat Wexford Golf Club by 3½-matches to 1½-match at Kilkenny Golf Club Saturday 29th July 2023.

Royal Curragh Golf Club were Runners-Up in the J. B. Carr in 2022 when they lost out to Shannon Golf Club at Woodbridge Golf Club on 4th September, they were captained by Liam Carroll.

Royal Curragh Golf Club were Runners-Up in the Barton Cup in 2022 when they lost out to Hermitage Golf Club at Lucan Golf Club on 15th October.
Some of the team on the day was Dave Mulcahy with Joe Hanamy, John Delaney with Evan Neville-Aldwell and Alan Darcy with Shane Kenny.            

Charlie Maxwell were selected on the Leinster Girls' Under-18 team to participate in the Interprovincial Championships at Hilton Templepatrick Golf Club from 19th to 21st July 2022, the others on the squad were Evelyn Park  and Anna Abom (Edmondstown Golf Club), Emma Fleming and Sarah O’Brien (Elm Park Golf Club), Sinead Ni Cheilleachair (Tullamore Golf Club) and Caoimhe O’Grady (Black Bush Golf Club) the non-travelling reserve was Sophie Sharp (Royal Tara Golf Club) they were managed by Mary Farrell from Carlow Golf Club and captained by  Stephanie McNiff from Tullamore Golf Club.

Royal Curragh Golf Club qualifies by winning their Leinster Regional Final of the Pierce Purcell Shield to reach the Quarter Finals at Limerick Golf Club on Thursday 16th September 2021 when they played Nenagh Club and lost their match by 4-matches to 1--match,
First on the tee Michael Materson with Gerry Maher who lost their match by 5 and 4 against Brendan O’Donoghue with Mathew O’Gara, they were followed by Brendan Mullins with Martin Butler who lost out to Padraig Hackett with David McGrath by 4 and 3, next up was Noel Joyce with Jimmy Murphy who halved their match against Paul Maloney with David Hickey, in the penultimate match Barry McLoughlin with Michael Cleary recorded a 6 and 4 win against Bernard Hackett with Pat J. Hogan and the bottom match of Paul Dempsey with Brenney Murphy was halved against Richard Maloney with George Hays.

Charlie Maxwell was selected to represent Leinster on the Girls’ Under-18 Interprovincial Team at Mount Wolseley Hotel and Golf Resort on October 9th and 10th October 2021, the others on the squad were Emily Murray and Ellen O'Shaughnessy (Co. Louth Golf Club), Anna Abom and Evelyn Park (Edmondstown Golf Club), Sarah O'Brien (Elm Park Golf Club) and Niamh O'Grady (Black Bush Golf Club) they were managed by Paula Murray from Naas Golf Club and captained by Brenda Craig from Roganstown Golf Club.

Calum Duane was selected to represent Leinster on the Boys’ Under-14 Interprovincial Team at Mount Wolseley Hotel and Golf Resort on October 9th and 10th October 2021, the others on the squad were Sean Cooper (Enniscorthy Golf Club), Adam Fahey (Seapoint Golf Club), Matthew Lynch (Greenore Golf Club), Evan Monaghan (Tullamore Golf Club) and Daniel McKenna (Laytown & Bettystown Golf Club) they were managed by John McGrath from Royal Tara Golf Club and captained by Ger Ennis from Athy Golf Club.

Royal Curragh Golf Club were Runners-Up in the Pierce Purcell Shield when they lost out to Munster Champions Thurles Golf Club by 3-matches to 2-matches on Friday 22nd September 2017.
They were led out by Martin Whitty with Bill Geraghty who lost their match against Tommy and Shane Quigley by 4 and 3, they were followed by Eddie Trant with Jimmy Murphy who had a 2 and 1 win over Pat Coote with Johnny Nevin, next on the tee was Michael Cleary with Brendan Mullins who lost out to John Looby with Gerard Maguire by 1-hole, in the penultimate match Anthony Ryan with Thomas Powell recorded a 2-hole win over Adrian O’Keefe with John Dwan and in the bottom match Benny Murphy with Paul Dempsey lost out by the minimum 1-hole against Stephen Quigley with Martin Fahy and with that the Green Pennant.
They met Ulster Champions Moyola Park Golf Club in the All-Ireland Semi-Final the previous day.
They were led out then by Michael Cleary with Brendan Mullins against Seamus Graffin with Timothy Steele, next on the tee was Eddie Trant with Jimmy Murphy against Malachy McKee with Stephen Heaney, they were followed by Anthony Ryan with Thomas Powell against Bernard O’Kane with Gerald Loughlin, the penultimate match saw Martin Whitty with Bill Geraghty take on Conor McKenna with Tony Johnston and the bottom match of Brenny Murphy with Paul Dempsey against Desmond Cleary with Martin McNabb.
They won the Leinster Final at Callan Golf Club on Sunday 30th July when they beat Clontarf Golf Club by 3½-matches to 1½-matches in the Final and Castle Golf Club by 4-matches to 1-match in the Semi-Final.

Curragh Golf Club won the Leinster Final of the Pierce Purcell Shield at Moate Golf Club on Sunday 4th July when they beat Slade Valley Golf Club by 4 matches to 1 match in the final having accounted for Powerscourt Golf Club by a similar margin in the morning semi-final.

They made their way to Castlebar Golf Club to compete in the National deciders and were drawn against Connacht Champions Co. Sligo in the All-Ireland Semi-Final on Thursday 16th September. First on the tee was James Murphy with Paul Hoganwho lost to Gerry McManus with Joe Keyes by 2 and 1, they were followed by Eddie Trant with Pat Sullivan who won their match against Shane Flaherty with Jimmy Treacy by 5 and 4.

Next up was Brian and Brendan Daly who beat Noel McTiernan with Mick Barrett by 5 and 4. The penultimate match was Derek Farrell with Derek Kelly against Pat Forkan with Michael McNamara also recorded a 5 and 4 win and the bottom match was Paul Hensey with Tom Tobin against Aidan Doyle with Joe Finnegan was halved. They met Nenagh Golf Club the following morning and were again led by James Murphy with Paul Hogan who beat Matthew O'Gara with Tony Finnan by 3 and 2, they were followed by Eddie Trant with Pat Sullivan who also had a 3 and 2 win over Patsy Farrell with Sean O'Donnell, next up was Brian and Brendan Daly who had a very convincing 6 and 4 win over Paddy Peters with Noel O'Dwyer and effectively clinched their first green pennant in the All-Ireland Cups & Shields. The penultimate match Derek Farrell with Derek Kelly went to the Tipperary pair of Bernard Hackett with P. J. Hogan by 6 and 5, the bottom match of Paul Hensey with Tom Tobin was halved with William Harty with Sean McLoughlin.

The Ladies of Curragh Golf Club won the Mid-Leinster Final of the AA-Insurance ILGU inter-club Junior Cup in 2007 they made the journey to Athlone Golf Club to compete in the National deciders; where they met East-Leinster Champions Corrstown Golf Club in the All-Ireland Semi-Final, they lost out by 3 matches to 2-matches.
First on the tee was Patricia Cronin (8) who had a very comfortable 6 and 4 win over Kim Barlow (9), she was followed by Catherine Joyce (10) who lost by 4 and 2 against Áine Wolfe (11), next up was Judith Lynch (11) who won her match by 4 and 3 against Jacinta Lynch (13), in the penultimate match Jennifer Joyce (13) went all the way to the 19th before conceding to Maura Sutton (13), in the bottom match Jacinta O'Brien (14) lost by the slimmest of margins when loosing to Jackie Cahill (15) by 1-hole.

2005 Lady Captain Anne Griffin and her Captain's Prize winner Sinead Keane qualified in the Volkswagen/Irish Independent Lady Captain’s Classic in this scotch foursomes format. It was off to the National Finals at The Heritage Golf Club on Monday 3rd October where they were paired with the Waterford pair of Joan Lowe and Sandra Barrett.

Maura Morrin was selected on the Irish Ladies team for the Home Internationals, where they retained the trophy and recorded their 7th victory, played at Royal Porthcawl from 8th to 10th September 2004.

Sinead Keane and Maura Morrin were selected on the Leinster Ladies team for the AIB Interprovincial Championships at Mount Wolseley Golf Club in August 7-9 2002.

Paul O'Hanlon was selected on the Leinster Boys' team for the Interprovincial Championships at Headfort Golf Club from August 28-30 2002.

Curragh won the Leinster Final of the Bulmers Junior Cup at Dundalk Golf Club in 2001. They went on to play Munster Champions Harbour Point in the All-Ireland Semi-Final at Newlands Golf Club on 20th September. They won their matches by 3 matches to 2 matches. The squad was, Declan Kenny, David Joyce, Brian Carney, Patrick Jorden, Duggie Houlihan, Martin Ryan, Brian Fetherston, Paul O'Hanlon, Noel Henzy and Stephen Byrne. They came up against Ballyclare the Ulster Champions in the All-Ireland Final and were narrowly beaten by 3 matches to 2 matches on the 21st September. 

The Curragh won the Midland Districk Final of the Ladies' Senior Cup when they beat Carlow on the final hole at Carlow Golf Club in May 2001. They went on to beat Enniscrone in the All-Ireland Quarter-Finals and were drawn against Royal Co. Down at Douglas Golf Club on 7th-8th of September 2001. The team was Lillian Behan, Sinead Keane, Maura Morrin, Marian Byrne and Mary McNally. They lost by 3 matches to 2 matches.

Sinead Keane was selected on the Irish team for the European Team Championship at Campo de Meis, Spain from the 10th to the 14th of July 2001. She was also on the Leinster Ladies team for the AIB Interprovincial’s at the Island Golf Club on the 8th to the 10th August 2001.

M. Byrne qualified for the National Finals of the Irish Times-Mitsubishi Motors Women's Masters. She returned 31 points in the semi-final at Glasson Golf Hotel & Country Club on 23rd of August 2001. Then it was on to Galway Bay Golf & Country Club for the Final on 13th September.

Prior to 2001:

Curragh Golf Club were Leinster Champions and All-Ireland Finalists in the Bulmers Junior Cup in 1979, when the team was, Nicky Aulsberry, Billy Gibson, Alan Power, Alan Cole, Tommy Kinsella, Colm Madigan and Jimmy Higgins.

They won the Duggan Cup in 1990, when the team was, John Daly, Bill Cunningham, Ray Swan, Mick O'Shea, John Young, Eric Wallace, Brendan Walshe, Hugh O'Connor, Steve Schwor and Brendan Glass, they were managed by Denis Curtin.

Curragh won the Barton Cup in 1936, when the team was, Capt. Flynn, Comdt. Stuart, Capt. O'Sullivan, Capt. Powell, Capt. Feely, Lt. Harrington. Col. McCorley, Capt. Downes, Mr. P. O'Shaughnessy, Maj. Gen. Sweeney, Capt. McInerney, Rev. Fr. Carey, Comdt. Fox and Capt. Kelly.

They won the Provincial Town's Cup in 1966, when the team was, L. Mitchell, Capt. D. Byrne, P. Dowling, Comdt. D. Butler, J. K. Young, Capt. M. O'Shea, Comdt. E. Quigley, Comdt. H. McDwyer, Rev. G. Brophy and Lieut. C. Madigan, they were managed by O. O'Brien.

They won the Midland Trophy in 1949, when the team was, Comdt. J. S. Cooney, Capt. D. O'Riordan, Lt. C. Sylvester-Carr, W. Price, Col. T. O'Higgins and J. F. Hyland.

Curragh won the Leinster Final of the Carrolls' Mixed Foursomes in 1983, when the team was, J. Brennan, S. Aspell, B. Daly, T. Byrne, P. A. Walshe, A. Power, E. Bradley, C. Barry, M. Walshe, L. Behan and E. Bolster, they were managed by N. Aulsberry. 

C. Madigan was elected to the council of the Leinster Branch of the GUI and as Central Council Delegate for 2001.

Anne Keane, the mother of the Munster Champion made a wonderful comeback to golf having been out due to illness, when she had two wins in a row, in May 2000. She won the Lady President's Prize with a score of (15)  65 net. She lost two shots for that, nevertheless, a few days later, she went out and shot an "incredible 63" off her new handicap, to win the Millennium Strokes by seven shots.

Members who played representative golf for Country or Province;

Paul O'Hanlon represented Ireland as a Senior International from 2007 to 2008 playing 12-times won 4-matches halved three and lost 5-matches accumulating 11-points. He represented Ireland at international Youths level from2004 to 2006 playing 5-matches, won 1-match halved one and lost 3-match accumulating 3-points. He represented Ireland at Irish Boys level in 2003 playing 6-times won 2-matches halved three and lost 1-match accumulating 7-points. He represented Leinster at Senior Interprovincial level from 2004 to 2008 playing 28-times won 15-matches halved four and lost 9-matches accumulating 34-points. He represented Leinster as a Youth Interprovincial from 2005 to 2006 playing 12-times won 7-matches and lost 5-matches accumulating 14-points. He represented Leinster at Boys  Interprovincial level from 2001 to 2002 playing 10-times won 3-matches halved two and lost 5-matches accumulating 8-points;

Lillian Behan won the Irish Close Championship and the Statoil Scratch Cup at Hermitage in 1999. She played in the Ladies Home International matches in 1984, 1985 and 1986 and again at Burnham and Berrow Golf Club in 1998, after her return from the professional ranks. She played Curtis Cup in 1986, and played for the Irish Girls in 1982;

Sinead Keane was the reserve on the Ladies Home Internationals at Lahinch in 1997;

History of Royal Curragh

Instituted 1883 affiliated 1898

David Ritchie’s obituary in the Kildare Observer, 17th September, 1910, reads "He claimed and we believe rightly so, to be the oldest golfer in Ireland, as he had ample proof of playing with the late Mr. Alexander Love on links he organised at Donnelly’s Hollow, Curragh in the early fifties of the 19th century". Thus, the Curragh is the first place golf was played in Ireland.

A Lieutenant A. G. Balfour was one of the guiding lights behind the founding of the Curragh, which had a special relationship with the Royal & Ancient. It also received a Royal charter from King George V in 1910. It was very much the militaries club, and only opened its membership to local civilians in the late 1890s and this was restricted to the local gentry. Ladies however were catered for on their own nine-hole course, the first of its kind as early as 1890.

The last British contingent left the Curragh on 16th May 1922. The first Captain of the Club after the handover was Mr. P. O’Shaughnessy, manager of the Hibernian Bank, Newbridge.