Royal Curragh Golf Club claims to play over the oldest course in all of Ireland. In 2013, the club chose to revive its Royal title, an honour conferred on it by the British monarchy over a century before.
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Royal Curragh Golf Club claims to play over the oldest course in all of Ireland. In 2013, the club chose to revive its Royal title, an honour conferred on it by the British monarchy over a century before.
The Royal Curragh Golf Club dates back to 1858 but it was reported six years earlier that the Earl of Eglington, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and founder Captain of Prestwick Golf Club, played golf with a Colonel Campbell of the Queens Bays so the club claims to play on the oldest course in Ireland.
The camp was evacuated by the British Army in 1922 and handed over to the Irish Defence Forces. Since then, the club has maintained a tradition of military and civilian involvement in its management. The Dun Laoghaire professional Tom Travers redesigned the course in 1934 then Patrick Merrigan added five new holes (8th and 10th-13th) in 2007.
The 6,586-yard, par 72 course is routed over rolling terrain which is naturally well drained, allowing play during wet periods when others are closed. There's evidence around the course of trenches and foxholes from old army training days but the most incongruous site to behold is the huge number of sheep which once grazed the fairways freely but are now confined to the rough.
The “Royal” prefix was granted to the Curragh Golf Club in 1910 but when the Irish Free State came into being the title was repudiated. This remained the position until November 2013, when club members voted to revive its royal status.
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