Letterkenny Golf Club: The Centenary Years 1913-2012

Letterkenny Golf Club was founded in 1913 although there is evidence in Lt. Col. Declan O’Carroll’s book “Rockhill House – A History’ that golf may have been played in the area as far back as 1894. The club initially started on rough ground near the Ramelton Road before moving to a 47-acre 9-hole course at Crievesmith in Oldtown in 1913 and purchased outright in 1920. The nine-hole course was redesigned by Michael O’Callaghan, a civil engineer in 1919 and remained relatively unchanged until the move to Barnhill Estate.

In 1967, the club sold Crievesmith and moved to its current location, a 146 acre property on the Barnhill Estate, where it extended the course to 18 holes. The club purchased the Barnhill property from the Hunter estate in 1967 for £6600. The course was, although they had approached John Jacobs in the first instance, designed by the renowned Eddie Hackett for £50 plus expenses. Hackett was only new to golf design at the time and had been recommended by Bill Menton and his only other known experience was at Gormanston College. Hackett initially presented two draft plans and went away to present a final plan and as a good god-fearing man he incorporated as many of the natural features of the property while also indicating what planting was required and started immediately. A forestry officer advised on the trees that needed felling before the machinery was brought in to construct the holes. The club also convinced Bord Failte to support the Hackett designed course with grants and the tourist board wanted Goulding Horticultural as additional expertise for the greens. Neither club nor Hackett were happy with their progress and the company and Bord Failte made their disquiet known and an onsite supervisor was assigned and together with Hackett’s oversight the work was “done” albeit delayed but the frustration with them remained. An STRI report was prepared and it only backed up their fears that Gouldings work was at best sub-standard and proposed remedial action and compensation was settled out of court.

In the seventies the club ran into financial difficulties and were on the precipice of closure until a number of members stepped to underwrite their loan of £5k. Hackett returned in 1985 and gave a comprehensive report (27 pages) on their plan to remodel the course together with an overall review of progress . Drainage continued to remain a problem since the move to Barnhill to the point where a move was always on the table. A plan was put in place to resolve the issue and Declan Branigan was brought in to resolve the issue and it got first-hand experience of the issue upon his arrival as the heavens opened and the surface water set-up camp. The big issue was the need to discharge water when the tide on Lough Swilly was high. Branigan had far-reaching proposals for future-proofing the club and although costly was necessary. Ronan Branigan arrived to oversee the course development and between all the parties concerned the end result was an unmitigated success. The redesigned course was officially opened on 28 July 2007 by Mr Tommie Basquille President GUI. Letterkenny Golf Club offers a beautiful setting with views of Lough Swilly and mature trees, making it a premier destination for golfers in County Donegal.

The club hosted the 1999 Donegal Irish Ladies Open, their first professional tournament, which followed the construction of a new clubhouse the previous year which was opened on 13 June 1998 by Dr James McDaid, Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation. Eddie Connaughton was brought in to advice on what course preparations for the event and Mark Sheridan, a graduate of Augusta, was engaged as course director and perfectly executed his plan of action to have the course ready for the tournament.