County Meath golf club Meath

Members Achievements

Co. Meath Golf Club won the Leinster Final of the Irish Junior Cup when they beat Kilcoole Golf Club by 4-matches to 1-match on Sunday 24th July 2011 at Greenore Golf Club.

They made the long journey to Castlerock Golf Club to compete in the All-Ireland deciders the following September, they were drawn against Ulster Champions Lurgan Golf Club in the All-Ireland Semi-Final. First on the tee was David Fox who beat Laurence McGrady by 4 and 2, he was followed by Sean Fitzgerald who won his match by 4 and 3 against Philip Shaw, Michael Gaynor’s match went all the way to the 19th before going down to Michael McSherry, the penultimate match of Tony Lacey against David Magee went 4 and 3 to the Lurgan lads, it was all down to the bottom match of Ciaran Blaney against Gareth Hanna which again went North by 3 and 2.

Co. Meath Golf Club won the Provincial Towns Cup in 2003, when the team was, A. Brogan, M. Heffernan, T. O'Connor, J. Cooney, D. Dempsey, M. McDonnell, A. McArdle, J. Dunne, F. Holland, J. Kennedy, M. Murray, G. Byrne and R. Russell, they were managed by M. Murray and M. Dempsey.

They won the North Leinster Mixed in 2002, when the team was, Gerry O'Reilly, Kay Dixon, Austin Geoghegan, George Crolly, Brid Cantwell, Patrick Conway, Martin Pratt, Matt Melvin, Dody Lyons, Tony Herrity, Ursula Magee, Joan Darby, Nina O'Reilly, Peter Darby and J. J. Reilly.

Brendan Swan (12) won the World One Armed Golf Championship at Headfort Golf Club in June 2001. The final against, two-time winner Brian Crombie from Scotland was an epic, the match finished on the 4th extra hole.

Una Clay played in the National Final of Re-Max-Long Drive Competition at Druid's Glen on the 7th of October 2001.

Prior to 2001:

Co. Meath Golf Club won the County Championship of the J. B. Carr Diamond Trophy in 1999.

They won the North Leinster Mixed Foursomes in 1995, when the team was, Michael McHugh, Eilis Nannery, Jim Nangle, Catherine Boyd, John Tobin, Majella Tobin, Maura Murray, Richard Mee, John Crolly, Nellie Hannon, Austin Geoghegan, Pauline McCourt, Noel O'Shea and Ronnie Russell, they were managed by Frank Taafe and Libby McGonagle.

They won the Provincial Towns Cup in 1981, when the team was, G. Crolly, O. Cooney, P. Walker, W. Elliott, C. Dignam, G. Nannery, J. Hegarty, M. Power, F. Dignam, A. Breslin and N. C. Hogan.

They won the Newsam Cup in 1978, when the team was, W. Elliott, J. Corrigan, W. Loughran, P. Dowd, D. Keegan, E. Lynam, D. Mangan, F. McKenna, P. O'Donovan, J. Nangle, R. Mee and M. Collins.

They won it the previous year with, E. Lynam, W. Elliott, W. Loughran, D. \Mangan, W. McDonnell, P. Canning, A. Breslin, J. Kelly, P. O'Donovan, J. Corrigan and M. Craig.

Co. Meath Golf Club won the Breffni Shield in 1998, 1988, 1986, 1978 and 1977.

Olive McHugh won the North Leinster Past and Present Lady Captain's Society in 1997. 

Members who played representative golf for Country or Province;

Paul Rayfus represented Ireland as a Senior International from 1986 to1988 playing 19-times won 11-matches halved one and lost 7-matches accumulating 23-points. He represented Leinster at Senior Interprovincial level from 1986 to 1991 playing 24-times won 10-matches and lost 14-matches accumulating 20-points;

Ciaran Boggan represented Ireland at international Boys level in 2009 playing 1-matches, won 1-match and lost 2-matches accumulating 2-points. He represented Leinster at Boys  Interprovincial level in 2009 playing 6-times won 3-matches halved one and lost 2-matches accumulating 7-points;

History of County Meath

Instituted 1898 affiliated 1970

The "Irish Golfer" on the 17^th February 1904, records the beginning of golf in the Trim area. "The surrounding countryside, on the whole, from its rich pastoral quality is unsuitable for golf and it was not until Mr. Devereux Emmet, an enthusiastic American golfer came to reside temporarily in the locality that the present links was discovered. He saw within minutes' walk from the town, a track of light land of ample area for a nine-hole course. He at once laid it out and after arranging with the tenant invited his friends to share the privilege. Soon, the present club was established and it is now in a flourishing condition. It is of interest to note that the links are within what was formerly the glebe lands of Laracor, Dean Swift’s Parish, as are Stella’s Cottage and the remains of the Dean’s House"

The club moved to a new location in 1904 at Oakstown. The club had 61 members and Mr. Hanbury was Captain. A change of name is recorded in The "Irish Golfing Guide" in 1916. By 1925 the club ceased to function and attempts to revive it were made in 1934, with Mr. A. J. Malone as Captain. This club lasted until 1950 when C. T. Tyrrell was Captain.

Then in 1968, Mr. Peter McConville initiated moves to revive the club yet again. A public meeting was held in September 1968, and a £13,000 farm of 54 acres was purchased, of which £6,000 was an interest-free loan from local people. The, nine-hole course was designed by Michael McGuirk, the professional at Co. Louth and C. T. Tyrrell was elected Captain, thereby preserving the link with the old club. He had the pleasure of opening the new course in July 1971. The club has gone from strength to strength since, it went eighteen-holes in the late 1980s, and a wonderful new clubhouse was opened in the early 1990s.

What the Club tells us:

Co. Meath Golf Club, a Potted History.

The story of Co. Meath golf Club is a mosaic of fun,  friendship, endeavour and, sometimes, hardship.
The story began in 1898 when a number of enthusiasts came together to establish a golf course in Effernock , just outside Trim, on the lands that now accommodate the Knightsbrook complex. The designer of the new course was the Irish American, Devereaux Emmett, a great grand nephew of Robert Emmett and frequent visitor to Trim. Devereaux was one of the most eminent American course designers of his day. His best known creation was the Congressional Country Club near Washington, which has hosted two U.S. Opens and a P.G.A. championship.

The new members named their club County Meath Golf Club. It was the only golf club operating in the county in 1898. Golf in those days was an elitist pursuit and the membership largely comprised of landowners, bankers, professionals and businessmen. The club flourished in Effernock until 1905 but had to find alternative accommodation as the landlord and Club Captain, J. C. Hanbury, could no longer facilitate the club. The club moved to a new location on P.J. Kennedy’s land on the Athboy Road at Oakstown. A cricket club also operated at the same location. The 9 hole layout was on forty acres and the land was leased to the club for £25 per annum.

Keeping a golf club alive was a fraught business in those days and particularly so for Co. Meath Golf  Club as membership was small, around forty men and less than twenty ladies. In 1917 the annual sub for men was £1.10s and 10 shillings for ladies. When the rent was paid there wasn’t much left for course maintenance. Thus the club struggled on until 1925 when the inevitable happened and Club Captain, Barney Allen had the unenviable task of presiding over the winding up of Co Meath Golf Club. But Barney ‘the Golfer Allen'' and other enthusiasts ensured that it was far from the end of the story and determined that the club would rise again, phoenix like, from the ashes at a future date. That date was 13^thJuly 1934 when the decision was taken at a meeting in the unofficial clubhouse, Brogan’s Railway Hotel, to revive the Club. The course was again located at Oakstown and a rent of £40 per annum was agreed with landowner, P. J. Kennedy. Local solicitor A. J. Malone was elected Club Captain and 1906-1908 past Captain, Hubert Potterton, was elected President.

The Club council decided in late 1937 to move to Dogstown , some two miles from the town on the Longwood Road. The course was designed by Co. Louth Professional, Mick McGuirk and was noted for its excellent greens. The Club thrived here until 1951 when the landowner, George Plunkett, terminated the lease agreement. The council and Captain, Charlie Tyrrell had no option but to wind up its affairs.
But, happily, there were those who kept the dream alive and top of their agenda was the acquisition of new property to accommodate the Club. Despite their best efforts it was 1968 before their endeavours were rewarded. The ‘Revivalists’ decided to bid for Miss C. Regan’s farm which was for auction at the end of October and the holding was duly purchased for £12,000.

The 9 Hole course, which was a mere stone’s throw from the Dogstown course was again designed by Mick McGuirk. Charlie Tyrrell and Maura Murray were elected Club Captain and Lady Captain. A growing membership enjoyed excellent golf and good fellowship throughout the seventies. The emphasis throughout the eighties was on the acquisition of suitable land to expand to an 18 Hole layout. At the end of the eighties first seventeen acres and then fifty acres was purchased. The peerless Eddie Hackett designed the new 18 holes and it was full steam ahead with construction. The eagerly awaited new Par 73 course was duly opened for play in 1991.

No sooner was the new course opened than minds turned to the building of a new clubhouse to replace the comfy, if basic, facility that had served the club well since 1970. It was agreed to press ahead with this ambitious project and the new clubhouse opened its doors in 1993. In the intervening years the Club has continued to expand and prosper. But, above all, the traditional spirit of friendship and camaraderie, encapsulated in the Club motto ‘Nullae Hic Insidiae Tales’ prevails. May it ever be so.
      
The full story of Co. Meath Golf Club, The Road from Effernock, is for sale behind the bar in the clubhouse