Oughterard golf club Galway

Members Achievements

Young Holly Cafferky Riona Murphy was selected on the Connaught Girl’s Under-18 Interprovincial Team played at Ballykisteen Golf Club on 21st and 22nd August 2023.
The other members of the team were Ellen Lonergan & Mary Kate Lonergan (Westport Golf Club), Maebh McLoughlin, Jessica Reynolds & Sophie Reynolds (Co. Sligo Golf Club) and Holly Cafferky (Ballinasloe).
They were Captained by Clodagh Hopkins (Woodbrook Golf Club) and Managed by Anne Fahy (Portumna).

Congratulations to Oughterard Golf Club who won the All-Ireland Mixed Foursomes at Castlerock Golf Club on 3rd September 2010.

They met Ulster Champions City of Derry in the All-Ireland Semi-Final and recorded a 3 matches to 2 matches victory over the team from the outskirts of Derry.

They were led by John Carr with Laura Gore who beat Lester Moore with Esther Milligan by 4 and 3. They were followed by Mairtin O’Cearra with Ursula Hernon who lost out to Kevin Quigg with Gerda Laird by 4 and 2. Next up was Michael Darcy with Catherine Hosty who restored the Galway teams advantage when they beat Brian Long & Rosemary Campbell by 4 and 3. The penultimate match of Pete Feeney with Rita Jordan against Peter Villa & Ciara Quigg went up the 19th before the match went to the Ulster Champions. 

With everything hingeing on the bottom match of Jerry Gore & Maire NiMhaille against Ernie Heywood & Rosemary Shortt nerves must have been jangling on both teams and supporters as this match was also decided on the 19th with the necessary point going to the team from the West and the passage to the All-Ireland decider.

They met Munster Champions Lisselan in the decider, who had a convincing 4 matches to 1 match win over Leinster Champions Clontarf Golf Club in their Semi-Final. They were again led by John Carr with Laura Gore who lost out to Leo Hassett with Niamh Sheehan by 3 and 2. They were followed by Mairtin O'Cearra with Ursula Hernon who restored parity with a comfortable 6 and 4 win over Eamonn Hurley with Roni Hawe. Next up was Michael Darcy with Catherine Hosty who lost out to Raymond Hayes with Marie Mackey by 4 and 2. The penultimate match of Pete Feeney with Rita Jordan against Killian Hurley with Elaine Burke was a resounding 9 and 7 win for Oughterard.

The bottom match to decide where the 2010 green pennant would go was Jerry Gore with Maire NiMhaille against Richard Fleming with Marion O'Leary was decided on the 17th green with a 2 and 1 victory for the Galway team.

Oughterard Golf Club won the Connaught Final of the Irish Junior Cup in 2009 and it was on to Tullamore Golf Club for the All-Ireland Semi-Finals where they were drawn against Leinster Champions Castle on Wednesday 16th September.

First on the tee was Frank Ford who beat Fergal Walsh by the narrowest of margins. He was followed by Aiden Grimes who lost out to Alex Gleeson by 2 and 1. Next up was Cathair Conneely who had a convincing 4 and 3 win over Scott Williams. The penultimate match of Martin O’Ceara against Harry Scott saw the men from the West into the All-Ireland Final the following day with a 3 and 2 result. The bottom match of Niall Faherty against Fergal Costelloe, go to the men from Rathfarnham by 6 and 5.

Oughterard Golf Club won the Connaught Final of the Irish Junior Cup in 2009 and it was on to Tullamore Golf Club for the All-Ireland Semi-Finals where they were drawn against Leinster Champions Castle on Wednesday 16th September.

First on the tee was Frank Ford who beat Fergal Walsh by the narrowest of margins. He was followed by Aiden Grimes who lost out to Alex Gleeson by 2 and 1. Next up was Cathair Conneely who had a convincing 4 and 3 win over Scott Williams. The penultimate match of Martin O’Ceara against Harry Scott saw the men from the West into the All-Ireland Final the following day with a 3 and 2 result. The bottom match of Niall Faherty against Fergal Costelloe, go to the men from Rathfarnham by 6 and 5.

The Ladies of Oughterard Golf Club, won the Western District of the ILGU All-Ireland Challenge Cup at Athlone G. C. in 2006, when the team was, Aine Bhreatnach, Rose O'Neill, Linda Lee, Ursula Moliter, Una Russell, Fiona White, they were captained by Freda White and Mary Cooke.

Alice Murphy (21) teamed up with Kathleen Ivers (24) from Athenry Golf Club to qualify with 39 pts. at Druid's Heath in the National Final of the O2 All-Ireland Masters. They qualified for the Grand Final played at the Kempinski Resort Hotel, Estepona, Spain in October 2004. They set out for the 5* Hotel on 9th October where having played a practice round they then went on to compete in the Grand Final over four days.

Prior to 2001:

Oughterard Golf Club won the All-Ireland Junior Foursomes in 1995, when the team was, John Bresnihan, Robert Jordan, David Nash, Brian Kyne and they were captained by Pascal McDonagh.

Oughterard Golf Club won the All-Ireland Jimmy Bruen  Shield in 1992, when the team was Tom Hargrove, Pat Quigley, Bartley Lydon, Lal Molloy, Martin Molloy, Martin Callagy, Niall Jordan, Cathal Jordan, Dave Hanley and Paschal McDonagh, they were captained by Martin Faherty. 

Oughterard Golf Club won the All-Ireland  Pierce Purcell Shield in 1990, when the team was Joe Noone, Dave Connelly, Tony Flaherty, Johnny Lee, Kevin Clancy, Joe Joe Flaherty, Michael Lee, Dermot McGrath, Steve Mannion, Dave Healy, Martin Flaherty, Joe Healy and Bartley Lydon, they were captained by Pat Quigley.

Oughterard youths' won the All-Ireland Junior Foursomes in 1995 when the team was John Bresnihan, Robert Jordan, David Nash and Brian Kyne, they were captained by Pascal McDonagh.

They won the Connacht J. B. Carr Diamond  Trophy in 1996.

Oughterard won the Connacht Junior Foursomes in 2001, the Connacht Bulmer’s Pierce Purcell Shield in 1987, 1990, 1991 and 1997. They won the Connacht Jimmy Bruen Shield in 1993. They won the Connacht Irish Club Youths in 1993 and the Connacht Fred Daly Trophy in 1995 and the Connacht Irish Junior Foursomes the same year. They won the Kenny Cup in 1991. 

Oughterard trio of Lady Captain Linda McDonagh, Captain Gerry Nash and Vice-Captain Donal Conlon, won the regional qualifiers in the Mercedes Benz-Irish Independent Executive Golf Trophy Tournament at Galway Bay Golf & Country Club in May 2001. Linda playing off 25, Gerry playing off 14 and Donal off 13 returned a score of 85 points. They were 4 shots better than their nearest rivals. They went on to the K Club to contest the National Finals on August the 13th 2001.

Alice and Ted Murphy were leading qualifiers in the first regional qualifiers of the Spar-Irish Independent National Mixed Pairs Challenge held at the Galway Bay Golf & Country Club in late May 2001. Alice playing off 25 and Ted playing off 16 posted a score of 56 points to be three shots clear of their neighbours and friends the Ivers of Galway Golf Club. It was then on to Adare Manor Hotel & Country Club for the National Finals in August.

Members who played representative golf for their Province;

John Bresnihan represented Connacht at the Boys' Interprovincial in 1994  playing 6-times won 4-matches halved one and lost 1-match accumulating 9-points;

Robert Jordan represented Connacht at the Boys' Interprovincial in 1993 playing 3-times won 0-matches and lost 3-matches accumulating 0-points;

Hugh Walsh represented Connacht at the Boys' Interprovincial from 2008 to 2010  playing 9-times won 2-matches and lost 7-matches accumulating 4-points;

Eoin Waters represented Connacht at the Boys' Interprovincial in 1994  playing 6-times won 5-matches halved one and lost 0-matches accumulating 11-points;

History of Oughterard

There are early accounts of golf being played at Oughterard as far back as 1906. The "Irish Field" 23rd June 1906 records "Golf continues to hum in Galway and at Oughterard a golf course is to be laid out near this picturesque little village of that name some seventeen miles from Galway."

The present club gives its foundation date as 1973 the course architects were D. Harris and Eddie Hackett. Then in 1999 it was redesigned by Paddy Merrigan and opened for play in May, 2000. A beautiful new clubhouse was opened in 1999.

What the Club tells us:
A look into the rich heritage of Oughterard Championship Golf Club 

This was the caption on a small news article in the Connacht Tribune dated February 14 th , 1924.  It stated that “Colonel Doig and a number of others keenly interested in the fishing of Oughterard and determined to make a popular holiday resort are at present busily engaged in the preliminaries for the establishment of a golf course near Ross station on the Galway side. An excellent site is available for an 18-hole course and it is expected that nine holes will be available for play this season. The railway line runs beside the links, and when the project develops it will be possible to establish a siding there. Many Galway golfers have already offered to become members of the new Oughterard links.”

The article does not name the exact location on which the course was to be built. The “Galway side” appears to be a misprint as a nine hole course was shortly afterwards developed on the Jackson estate in Killaguile. The same paper of April 19th mentions the “projected new Golf Course at Killeguile, Oughterard.”

According to the Connacht Tribune of July 12th, 1924 the new nine-hole Golf Club was formally opened by Mrs Jackson and the paper gives an account of the proceedings. The Club house was a single storey galvanise building erected on a piece of ground measuring 1 rood and 20 perches which was leased from the Jackson family. The rateable valuation on the land and building was £1.0.0. The Hon. Secretary of the Club was Mr. J.P. Monaghan, Oughterard. Fees: Golf: £0.1s.0 for non-Members and the same for the Tennis Court. The Club house was situated approximately 200 yards from the Galway to Clifden railway line and in close proximity to the Railway cottage which was occupied by Mr. Michael Joyce and family.  The Golf course had a short life in Killaguile, as in December, 1927 the Hon. Secretary – Mr. J.P. Monaghan died and the land was sold in 1934. The Club house still stands and is used as a farm store.

In the report of the opening, the following appears: Pictures in connection with the opening of the new links will be found on page 5.” No photographs of the event were published in that edition and none can be found in the later July editions. Due to a fire in the offices of the Connacht Tribune, photographs prior to 1965 are no longer available. Hopefully, some family members of those involved may have them?