Women have played a significant role in the 100-year history of Macroom Golf Club and they will remain key to the club’s development in the years to come.
Had it not been for Lady Olivia Ardilaun, a descendant of the McCarthy chiefs and the widow of Lord Ardilaun—aka Sir Arthur Guinness of brewing fame —the club may never have come into existence in 1925.
The story of the club, which sits on the site of Macroom Castle’s 12th-century demesne, began in 1924 when Lady Ardilaun sold the demesne to a group of local businessmen, to be held in trust for the people of the town.
The castle had been burned several times during the War of Independence and the demesne was, to all intents and purposes, derelict. It was yielding no income, and while the idea of leasing the demense for around £80 a year was discussed, the cost of building a nine-hole course without a guaranteed long-term lease was a big risk.
In the end, the land was purchased for £1,500 as Lady Ardilaun had no intention of rebuilding the castle and today, Macroom boasts a beautiful 18-hole course on the banks of the River Sullane, halfway between Cork city and Killarney..
The descendants of some of the 12 men who put up £100 each to help fund the purchase of the lands for the town remain actively involved in the running of Macroom Golf Club to this day — the Lynchs, Cronins, Fitzgeralds, and Nevilles, to name but a few.
The club thrived on its nine-hole course until 1993, when it was extended to 18 holes on western lands that were included in the original purchase but quickly sold to Daniel Twomey of Rockborough House for £1,500 shortly after an agreement was reached with Lady Ardilaun, as the club had sufficient ground for its original nine holes.
The 1925 deal proved to be a fantastic bonus for Macroom, and today, the demesne not only contains the golf club but is also home to Macroom GAA club, the Macroom Community Leisure Centre, and features spectacular riverside walkways. In short, it’s an incredible amenity for the entire community.
The course itself is a beautiful parkland featuring several holes that hug the banks of the River Sullane.
Golfers must hit across the river to play the 12th and the par-three 13th, which is situated on the only piece of land owned outright by the club.
“The views from Macroom Golf Club are actually spectacular,” explains Margaret Buckley, who is part of the club’s history group. “The second hole is a par three, and just above it is one of the oldest remaining bits of land that was used for falconry many years ago.
“The front nine slopes towards the river, and the back nine is played on the flat plain along the river.”
A par-72 for ladies and a 71 for the men, the club has some 450 members, not including another 130 juveniles.
Of that number, there are 120 ladies, which means that women have played a significant part in the running of the club since they attained equal rights as full voting members in 1992.
Mary Purcell was the first chairperson of the club, and women have held all the most important offices ever since.
In April, Joan Cronin (née O’Leary), who was Lady Captain in 1952 and President in 1993, and whose father was involved in the original purchase of the demense, was present at the Presidents’ Day.
Joan played golf up until just ten years ago, and her granddaughter, Clare Cronin, is now a member of the club.
The course remains the club’s pride and joy thanks to the efforts of greenkeeper Kieran Morris, brother of captain Gary Morris, and the clubhouse is a welcoming place under manager Cathal O’Sullivan, whose family also has a long connection with the club.
“There are families with three generations playing at the club now,” explained Lady President Geraldine Galvin.
Attracting more members remains a key goal for Macroom, which built a new clubhouse in 1997.
“The challenge for us is probably the future,” Geraldine explained. “We have ambitious plans to develop a proper practice area and implement improvements to the course with the help of the greens staff and our volunteers.
“So the challenge for us is not only to retain the existing membership, but to increase the membership, so that we can develop on those ambitious plans. It’s an ongoing challenge.”
The senior members remain the backbone of the club, with close to 80 taking to the course every Tuesday.
“They are also very active in helping out around the club,” explains Margaret. “When it comes to helping with clean-ups around the course and small maintenance jobs, our volunteers are very important, and the seniors are very actively involved in that.”
They are also renowned for their love of a sing-along, and why not, given the comforts of the clubhouse and the great fare available in the Mulligan Room restaurant.
Visitors are always welcome to come through the castle gates and experience the beauty of the course for themselves.
