Doneraile golf club Cork

Members Achievements

Donerail Golf Club won the Munster Final of the Irish Mixed Foursomes when they beat Tramore Golf Club on the 20th hole at the Gold Coast Golf Club on Saturday 6th August 2016.

They were lead out by Tim O’Mahony with Anne Heffernan who beat Neil Cashin with Sarah Howard by 4 and 3 they were followed by Peter Duane with Anna Cotter who lost out to John O’Brien with Ann Mitchell on the 20th next on the tee was Eddie Roche with Eileen Coleman who also went up the 20th before registering the point against Martin Walsh with Amanda O’Connor in the penultimate match Phelim Cotter with Eleanor Coughlan lost their match against Keith Ridgard with Maeve Enright by 2 and 1 in the bottom match Sean Barrett with Karena Hunter had a 2 and 1 win over Paul Coffey with Orla Darcy.

They made the long journey to Shandon Park Golf Club to compete in the All-Ireland Deciders and were drawn against Leinster Champions Greystones Golf Club in the All-Ireland Semi-Final on Friday 2nd September and were lead out by Tim O'Mahony with Anna Cotter who lost their match by 3 and 2 against D. Byrne with L. Croke next up was Peter Duane with C. Hamilton who beat E. Lonergan with C. Marmion by 2 and 1 they were followed by Eddie Roche with Eileen Coleman who lost their match by 2 and 1 against A. Condron with O. Delaney in the penultimate match Phelim Cotter with Eleanor Coughlan lost out to D. McGabhann with E. Hanley by 2-holes and in the bottom match Sean Barrett with Karena Hunter had 4 and 3 win over M. Looby with G. O'Shea.     

Doneraile Golf Club reached the Semi-Finals of the Munster Senior Cup at Shannon Golf Club on the 17th August 2014 where they met Tramore Golf Club and went down by 3½-matches to 1½-matches.
They were lead out by Damien Carey who beat Alan Thomas by 2-holes, he was followed by Tim O’Mahony who lost his match Robin Dawson by 2 and 1, next up was John Hickey who halved his match against Paul Flynn, the penultimate match of David Finn against Chris Butler went 3 and 1 to the Waterford club, in the bottom match Michael Quirke lost out to David Kiely by 5 and 4.

Doneraile Golf Club won the Munster Final of the Barton Shield when they beat Lee Valley by 4-holes at Kinsale Golf Club on 11th August 2012.

They returned to Kinsale Golf Club to compete in the All-Ireland deciders on Wednesday 19th September when they were drawn against Leinster Champions NUI Maynooth Golf Club in the All-Ireland Semi-Finals.

The first team of David Finn with J. Hickey against C. O’Rourke with J. Yates was a 1-hole win for NUI Maynooth the second match of Adam Carney with T. O’Malley went 3-holes to B. Anderson with G. Hurley and with it a place in the All-Ireland Final.

NUI Maynooth went on and won the All-Ireland when beating a star studded Warrenpoint by 8-holes in the final.

Doneraile Golf Club won the Munster Final of the Barton Shield in 2007, and they made the long trek to Shandon Park Golf Club to represent their Province in the All-Ireland deciders. I must admit to have been a bit surprised to see a small club like Doneraile come out of Munster in this premier Championship in Amateur Club Golf, when one considers the number of very strong clubs that are in the region.

Fair dues to the men from East Cork, who had nothing more than a number of Munster County Club Cup’s to their CV.

They were drawn against Ulster Champions Moyola Park in the All-Ireland Semi-Finals on Wednesday 12th September. First on the tee was Damien Carey with Hugh Nolan against Mark Hammond with Damien McCusker who won their match over the Cork pair by the slimmest of margins, just that single hole. So it was all eyes on the Second match of Dave Finn with Adam Carey against Luke Lennox with Randal Evens, the Doneraile pair were 2-up standing on the 18th tee and did nothing wrong up the final hole to record a famous victory, however it was not to be as Luke Lennox knocked in a 20 foot + putt for a birdie on the 18th to bring the match to extra play-off holes. The same teams went up the 19th which was halved however the Ulster Champions clinched their place in the All-Ireland Final against Galway Golf  Club the following day when the closed out the match on the long Index 3 second play-off hole.

Well done Doneraile Golf Club and the best of luck in the future as you obviously have a strong team that can challenge the best in the highest echelon of Amateur Golf.

Doneraile Golf Club won the Munster Country Clubs Cup for the first time in 1961, when the team was Fr. J. Barry, P. O'Mahony, G. O'Reilly, P. J. Power, A. Mitchell, N. Horgan, S. Nagle and J. J. Quirke.

They won it again in 1965, when the team was P. Morrissey, J. J. Quirke, T. O'Connell, P. O'Mahony, M. Geary and S. Burke.

They won it for the 3rd time in 1989, when the team was J. Murphy, J. J. Cronin, R. O'Callaghan, M. Deady, R. J. O'Sullivan, A. O'Reilly, J. O'Keeffe, J. Classet, P. O'Leary and G. O'Callaghan.

The last time they won it was in 1999, with E. Finn, T. Meade, B. Howell, D. Carroll, A. O'Reilly, C. Deady, M. Howell, E. O'Connor and D. Harrington, they were managed by S. Burke.

Doneraile Golf Club won the Avondhu Shield in 2004, when the team was, Mick Dunlea, Dermot Harrington, Walter Bermingham, Billy Sherlock, Diarmuid Harrington, Sean Barrett, Andy O'Reilly, Coleman Horgan, Tim Deady, Pius O'Callaghan, they were managed by Coleman Deady and Martin Buckley.

They won it prior to that in 1986, when the team was, R. O'Callaghan, D. Harrington, J. J. Cronin, K. Carey, B. O'Keeffe, F. Carey, J. O'Keeffe, M. Barrett, J. Dennehy and Joseph O'Keeffe.

The Ladies of Doneraile Golf Club won the Bank of Ireland Dunhallow Shield in 1980, when the team was, Nora Carroll, Nora Philpott, Nora Aherne, Sheila Corcoran, Maureen Cronin, Marie Lynch, Noreen O'Keeffe, Ita Power, Kitty Coakley and Pat Winkle. Michael Quirk.

Members who played representative golf for Country or Province;

Michael Collins represented Ireland at Irish Boys level in 1998 playing 4-times won 1-match and lost 3-matches accumulating 2-points. He represented Munster at Youths’ Interprovincial level from 1999 to 2001 playing 14-times won 5-matches halved three and lost 6-matches accumulating 13-points. He represented Munster in the Boys Interprovincial Championships in 1997 playing 6-times won 4-matches halved one and lost 1-match accumulating 9-points;

M. Quirke represented Ireland at Senior (55+) from 2009 to 20010 playing 18-times won 11-matches halved two and lost 5-matches accumulating 24-points. He represented Munster as a Senior Interprovincial from 1987 to 1988 playing 8-times won 4-matche and lost 4-matches accumulating 8-points. He represented Munster at Youths’ Interprovincial level from 1973 to 1975 playing 8-times won 5-matches and lost 3-matches accumulating 10-points;

K. Carey represented Munster at Youths’ Interprovincial level in 1980 playing 3-times won 2-matche and lost 1-match accumulating 4-points;

History of Doneraile

There is a tradition that golf was played in Doneraile as far back as 1912. It was said to have been a three hole course in the North Park, part of the Doneraile estate.

The first meeting on record was held on 8 July 1921. Lord Castletown was elected President. The land was given free by Lord Castletown.
In 1925 work started on a new course across the road from the existing course in the North Park.

This course was opened in 1927, and the first captain was Mr SR Lysaght. The club also affiliated in that year to the Golfing Union of Ireland. The course was extended in 1928 across the river adjoining the graveyard. The course was purchased from the Trustees of the Doneraile Estate in 1975 for £4500.
The old town of Doneraile was situated where the 8th tee is at present. In Irish, Dun ar Aill means "Fort on the Cliff".
The townland where the course is situated is called Horseclose.

The club has a close relationship with horses. One of the major horse racing Classics is called after the St Ledgers who previously owned the Doneraile Estate. Another interesting historical connection is that the first ever steeplechase was run from the steeple in Buttevant Church to the steeple of St Mary's Church just on the left of the present first tee.

Golf World Magazine described the course as the Jewel in the Crown of the 9 hole courses in 1996, when they wrote an article on "Golfing in Ireland".
There is great interest in golf in the locality. At present, there are 700 members in the club. There is a strong juvenile section. There is good participation in competition and team events. Doneraile won the Munster Country Clubs competition in 1999.