Letterkenny golf club Donegal

Members Achievements

Letterkenny Golf Club won the Ulster Final of the Pierce Purcell Shield when they beat Ballyclare Golf Club in the regional decider by 4-matches to 1-match at Edenmore Golf Club on Sunday 14th August 2011.

They made the short journey to the Castlerock Golf Club to compete in the All-Ireland deciders the following September. They were drawn against Leinster Champions Corrstown Golf Club in the All-Ireland Semi-Final, whom they lost out to by 3-matches to 2-matches. First on the tee was Patrick McMonagle with Brian O’Donnell who had to go up the 19th before conceding the point to Garry Beagan with Andrew Holohan, they were followed by Tony McMonagle with Connor McGettigan who won their match by 3 and 1 against Jarlath Beagan with Paul O’Kane, they were followed by John Russell with Roy McCrory who lost out to Martin Mooney with Brendan Doyle by 3 and 1, the penultimate match of Keith Spence with Patsy O’Donnell recorded a 2 and 1 win over Gerry Burns with Tom Brady, in the bottom match Kieran Walsh with Nicolas Miller lost out to Aidan Shields with Martin McIvor by 2-holes.

Letterkenny Golf Club won the All-Ireland Final of the Pierce Purcell Shield at Tullamore Golf Club in September 2009. This was a remarkable achievement as to my knowledge it is only the 4th Green-Pennant ever won in the county, the others being North West Irish Senior Cup at Rosslare in 2005, Irish Junior Cup 1903 and Ballybofey & Stranorlar Irish Mixed Foursomes at Massereene in1994.

They met Connacht Champions Loughrea in the All-Ireland Semi-Final. They were lead by Brian O'Donnell with Tony McMonagle who beat Brendan Dunne with Paul Hynes by 3 and 2.

They were followed by Pat McMonagle with Kieran Sweeney who lost out to John Greally with Gerry Fahy by 1-hole. Next on the tee was John Russell with Kieran Walsh who beat Noel Maher & Lee McGahon by 3 and 2. The penultimate match of Ed Margey with Brendan Roache lost out to Uinsinn Finn with Cathal Murray and 6 and 5. So it was all down to the bottom match of Kenny King with Shane Sweeney to book their passage into All-Ireland Final, they beat Tony Slevin with John Creavan by 3 and 2.

They met Leinster Champions Courtown in the All-Ireland Final. Pat McMonagle with Kieran Sweeney lead out and had the perfect start with a 2 and 1 win over John Dowling with Tony Merrigan. They were followed by Brian O'Donnell with Tony McMonagle lost out to John Rafferty with Joe O'Dwyer by 3 and 2.

Next up was John Russell with Kieran Walsh who went all the way to the 22nd-hole before clinching the win over Jarlath Beagan with Gary Beagan. The penultimate match of Ed Margey with Brendan Roache, delivered the point and the green pennant with a 2-hole win over Gerry Finnerty with Fran Lawlor. The bottom match of Kenny King with Shane Sweeney went down to the 20th-hole before losing out to Ciaran Conneely with Paul O'Kane.

Letterkenny Golf Club won The Ulster Cup in 1987, The Donegal Senior League in 1998, 1996 and 19991. they won the Donegal Inter Club League in 2001, 1994, 1993 and 1991 and the Donegal Minor League in 1990.

Pat McMonagle, John Russell and Barry Ramsay won the won the Carlsberg West Coast Challenge in the millennium.

The Ladies of Letterkenny won the Marie O'Donnell Trophy in 2001 and 2000. 

Lady Captain Salie Bradley, Captain Liam Wiseman and Honorary Secretary P. J. Sweeney, qualified for the National Finals of the Mercedes-Benz Irish Independent Executive Golf Classic at The K Club on August 2002.

Lady Captain Celine Bradley (18) and her Captains Prize winner, 72 years young Anna O'Shea (22) were leading qualifiers in the Volksinwagen-Irish Independent Lady Captains Classic in Co. Sligo Golf Club in August 2002. They returned 40points on this Championship course.

History of Letterkenny

There is evidence in a letter written by Mr. Robert R. Robinson, land steward to Maj. General A. C. H. Stewart on 9th April, 1894, that golf was played at Letterkenny before 1909. The letter reads "I write and beg to say Mr. Chambers, Manager of the Ulster Bank, Dr. Carre and a few others have been playing golf in the Lawn, starting at McDaid's old Lodge and going across into the Fort Field. They say it is splendid golfing ground and are envious to get what they call six pots made in it. This I refused letting them do, until I hear from you"
There is a legend in Letterkenny of an original three-hole course at Windyhill and an even earlier one at Ballyraine. The records of the present club only go back to 1929 and a foundation date of 1913 is generally accepted.
In 1967, the club moved to its present location at Barnhill and went eighteen-holes, from its nine-hole course at Crievesmith. A fine new clubhouse has recently been built and opened in 1998.

The recently redesigned 18 hole Letterkenny Golf Club stands amid 167 acres of mature parkland at Barnhill just on the outskirts of the town. Since redevelopment under the direction of course designer Declan Branigan it has emerged as one of the finest parkland courses in Ireland and attracts a membership of some 750 golfers. According to GUI records Letterkenny is documented as having "started activities" in 1913. By then golf had spread nationwide having been introduced from Scotland and ten other clubs were already in existence in Co. Donegal.
 
There is evidence in extant papers associated with the Stewart estate at Rockhill that golf was played on that estate which encompassed the lands at Crievesmith in 1894. The land was referred to as "splendid golfing ground" and consisted of "six pots" with the possibility to "extend it to ten pots". This was the original location for competitive golf in Letterkenny. When the club was registered with the GUI in 1913 the course at Crievesmith consisted of nine holes on 16 acres. A clubhouse was added later. However because of the fact that golf was becoming more inclusive, plus the difficult topographical features and the limited space at Crievesmith the club committee was actively engaged in sourcing a new course. Many locations were examined including the Boyd estate at Ballymacool.
 
In Jan 1967 the club President Mr J. C. Stewart announced the purchase of the land at Barnhill from the Hunter estate. This included Barnhill house and 146 acres of a mixture of arable and wood land ready for development. The club disposed of their property at Crievesmith for £3200 and purchased Barnhill for £6600. The committee of the time was faced with many problems not least course planning, drainage and tree felling. Given the fact that the bottom half of the course was alongside the River Swilly drainage was to be a major concern. But the resolve of the committee led by Club Captain 1966 Mr Jim Kennedy was never in question. They engaged the renowned course planner Mr.Eddie Hackett to design the course. No time was lost and a temporary nine hole course was laid out at Barnhill to allow the club to vacate Crievesmith. Under the direction of Mr Hugh Duffy Club Captain in 1967 and his coordinating committee competition golf was played for the first time at Barnhill in 1967. The course took 3 years to complete. Letterkenny Golf Club at Barnhill was now up and running.

Twenty years later a new club house was built and opened on 13 June 1998 by Dr James McDaid, Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation and the Irish Ladies Open was held over the course the same year.

Club membership flourished and many improvements were made throughout the years. Drainage was a perennial problem but an enlightened strategic review of the way forward for the club was undertaken and implemented by successive committees over the past few years and major expenditure was approved for both club house and course. This strategy which involved considerable expense was carefully monitored with strict financial control by the club committee. Under the direction of Declan Branigan redesign work on the course commenced in 2006/7.

Despite the obvious concerns this has proven to be a major success and the course now benefits from the successful extensive upgrade and drainage and now presents a real challenge and sporting pleasure for the golfer.

The new course was officially opened on 28 July 2007 by Mr Tommie Basquille President GUI.