Abbeyleix golf club Laois

Members Achievements

Abbeyleix Golf Club were Runners-up in the All-Ireland Final of  the Pierce Purcell Shield at Knightsbrook Golf Club on Saturday 17th September 2022 when they were drawn against Castlebar Golf Club and lost their match by 4-matches to 1-match.
Simon Walkin with Neil Condon led them out and lost their match by the minimum against Billy Evans with Ray Pendergast, next on the tee was Martin Lawlor with Gavin Bonham who lost their match by 4 and 3 against Paddy Burke with Sean Haugh, they were followed by Kevin Joyce with Mark Ring who halved their match against Tom Moylett with Declan Pendergast, in the penultimate match Anthony Collins with Pat O’Rourke lost out by 5 and 4 to Tommy Lawless with Colin Dawson and the bottom match of Declan Clooney with Matt Thornton against Johan Collins with Stephen Munnelly was halved when called-in.          
They qualified for Quarter-Finals of the Pierce Purcell Shield at Knightsbrook Golf Club on Thursday 15th September 2022 when they were drawn against Edmondstown Golf Club and won their match by 3½-matches to 1½-matches.
They were led out by Kevin Joyce with Mark Ring who won their match against Niall Clarke with Garry Goldsmith by 3 and 2, they were followed by Declan Clooney with Matt Thornton lost out by 4 and 3 against Cormac Egan with Fergal Morris, next on the tee was Simon Walkin with Neil Condon who had a very comfortable 6 and 5 win against Shane Guest with Richard O’Connor, in the penultimate match Martin Lawlor with Gavin Bonham had a 1-hole win against Liam Dean with Paul Byrne and the bottom match of Enda Cassin with Aidan Dunphy against Brian O’Grady with Pearse O’Sullivan was halved when called-in.
They met Mayobridge Golf Club in the All-Ireland Semi-Final the following day and recorded a 3-matches to 2-matches win against the County Down Club.
They were led out again by Kevin Joyce with Mark Ring who lost their match by 3 and 2 against Patrick McGivern with J. P. McIlvenny, they were followed by Simon Walkin with Neil Condon who had a very comfortable 6 and 5 win against Joseph Boyd with Colm Magee, next on the tee was Declan Clooney with Matt Thornton who had a 1-hole win against Conor McConville with John Brown, in the penultimate math Martin Lawlor with Gavin Bonham had a similar result against Shane Fagan with Barry O’Hara and with that a place in the All-Ireland Decider the following day and in the bottom match Enda Cassin with Aidan Dunphy lost their match against Gregory Devlin with Peter Travers by 5 and 4.     

Abbeyleix Golf Club who won the Central Leinster Pierce Purcell final on the 20th August 2022 at Enniscorthy Golf Club when they beat Portlaoise Golf Club.

Simon Cahill has the distinction of winning the last Captain's Prize on the old nine-hole course at Abbeyleix and the first Captain's Prize on the new eighteen-hole course. He secured his back-to-back Captain's Prizes with a fine opening eighteen of 63 followed by a 73 on the second day which was just enough to win by a shot from Tom Molumby.

D. Dunne had a hole-in-one at the 9th in his Captain's Prize on 5/9/99

Monica O'Reilly played for the Irish Girls in 1980

History of Abbeyleix

Affiliation was made to the GUI in 1905 under the Captaincy of Mr R. Hampton, B.A. who was the Head Master of Preston House.

The first site of the Club was probably on "The Island" between the Portlaoise and Ballyroan Roads. It is not known when the club moved to Ballymullen, but what is certain is, that the Club and its Links were based in Ballymullen in the years just prior to 1920.

Abbeyleix Golf Club was one of three Golf Clubs in Co. Laois at the time the others being The Heath Golf Club founded in 1890 and Portarlington Golf Club founded in 1908. Green fees were charged at 2 Shillings or the equivalent of 10 cents per day.

In 1921 the Club moved to Haywood, Ballinakill, Co. Laois.

In 1927 the club was on the move again this time to Rathmoyle, Co. Laois.

In 1932 the Club returned to its original location ay Ballymullen, and retained the site at Rathmoyle for winter golf for a short period from November 1934 to May 1935.

However the Club went into decline and closed in 1937, however the Ladies had affiliated to the ILGU before it closed, the affiliation took place on 23rd September 1930.

The Club was re-established on 28th May 1948 at Rathmoyle, Abbeyleix. In 1949 applied for and received a licence to sell intoxicating liquor, and some would say it never looked back.

The Club retained the services of Mel Flanagan to undertake the redesign and extension to an 18-Hole course. The new course opened on 17th September and Paddy Murphy then President of the GUI officially opened the New Course.

The first record of Abbeyleix Golf Club is in "The Golfing Annual" 1905-1906. Its foundation date is given as 1894, with R. Hampton as Captain and Rev. A. E. Bro, The Vicarage, Abbeyleix, as Hon. Secretary. The course was a nine-hole 2,154 yd‘s, located at Ballymullen, a mile from Abbeyleix Station. In 1927 a meeting of the club decided to lay out a new course on a Mr. Weld’s land at Rathmoyle House. It seems the club went into decline during the war years and an application for re-affiliation to the GUI. In June 1949 with Rev. Edward O’Byrne, C.C., as Captain.