File picture by DONGWON LEE from Pixabay
Kilkenny Golf Club will celebrate the centenary of the official opening of the Fair Hill Pavilion at Bonnettsrath Road, Newtown, Kilkenny on May 20.
The Pavilion, modified by the O’Connor family post the Golf Club’s move to Newtown Manor in 1947 still stands proudly adjacent to the 12th hole of today’s course. I’ve been unable to establish as to why the area where the Pavilion is located was given the name ‘Fair Hill’, perhaps there was a Cork connection and the ballad of The Boys of Fair Hill!
Whilst Kilkenny Golf Club was founded in 1896, Fair Hill was to be the fifth location of the Club following its siting’s at Bishop’s Demesne, Rich View, Carain an Crann (Garrincreen) and Kilcreene. 1910 was a momentous year in the history of the club, as the Club affiliated to the Golfing Union of Ireland, appointed its first ever Professional D McDermot of Malahide, acquired the Bar Cup from the Bar Society and introduced the Lady Constance Butler Challenge Cup. The expansion of the Clubs membership necessitated the building of a new pavilion.
The grand opening of the spanking new pavilion was conducted by Rev Godfrey Day DD, later Church of Ireland Bishop of Ossory, together with Kilkenny Golf Club President Major Dermot McCalmont of Mount Juliet fame and club captain R A Smithwick in attendance. All of the great and the good of Kilkenny society attended its gala opening. The opening had been postponed from earlier in the year due to the death of the Club President’s father Maj Gen Sir Hugh McCalmont KCB CVO.
The Golf Club had made the historic decision in 1922 to move from its Kilcreene home to what was very much the rural countryside of Newtown at the time. Mr R Duggan Chairman at the Club’s AGM of 1923 announced to members that the new course would open at Newtown in 1924. This townland is just north of Newpark Lower, is rich agricultural land and adjoined the townlands of Bonnettsrath and Glendine. Nearby landowners and neighbours of the time were Kehoe’s, Murphy’s and Phelan’s. Both the Murphy and Phelan families still live in the area today.
The purchase of the land was a major consideration for club members of the time and it was not achieved without some controversy at the time. Firstly there was the matter of the additional cost imposed on the Club which up to that point was limited principally to a small core of business people and their families of Kilkenny city and secondly was the matter of how it would be paid for. All members expected a hike in the annual subscription and to the members utter delight this did not transpire.
Affiliated to the Golfing Union of Ireland
Post its affiliation to the Golfing Union of Ireland, the club decided to shed its unkind label of its membership being retained exclusively for the elite of business class society of Kilkenny and in their wisdom decided to throw open its doors to the wider community with an immediate positive response from the greater population.
Up until to then the infamous ‘Black Ball’ system of acceptance had prevailed at most golf clubs throughout the golfing world at large. It took just one committee member to put a black ball in the ‘chute’ for someone to be denied membership. Golf prospered everywhere once this archaic practice ceased.
The Kilkenny People of the day gave an account of a Club meeting where the concerns of the members were addressed in terms of the potential costs of moving from Kilcreene to Newtown and how the transition would be financially managed. There was also a major meeting called to decide on the feasibility of having a bar at the new Pavilion facility. It became a debate between ‘The Drys’ and ‘The Wets’. The Wets won out following a vote by the members.
A number of photographs of many social occasions celebrated at Fair Hill pavilion still survive today. The pavilion, as the name suggests, is located off the Bonnetsrath Road on moderate raised ground adjacent to today’s 12th fairway which in 1923-’24 was the original first tee of the then new course. Over time with the subsequent redesign and layout of the course in 1938 following the procurement of additional land at Glendine townland, the old first tee became the Ladies 12th Tee.
World renowned golf course architect T J Simpson
Following the acquisition of additional land at Glendine, the world renowned Golf Course Architect T J Simpson and his assistant Molly Gourlay, a native of Kerry and three time British Amateur Champion were engaged by the Club to lay out the new course in 1936 which opened for play in 1938. Simpson designed only four courses in Ireland Ballybunion and Kilkenny in 1936, Carlow 1937 and Co Louth in 1938. Kilkenny stands amongst illustrious company indeed!
When Newtown Manor became the Clubs Pavilion in 1947 the Fair Hill tee box became the secnd tee and remained so until the Glendine Pavilion was opened in 1962 and the entire route of the course was altered to accommodate the major change to Glendine. The Fair Hill Pavilion continues to dominate the landscape at the 12th Hole today.
Following the move from Fair Hill in 1947 to Newtown Manor the former pavilion was remodelled (veranda removed and windows altered) and acquired by Billy O’Connor a lifelong member and former Captain of Kilkenny Golf Club. Billy and his wife Laura (nee McClure) raised their family, Barry and Catherine at the property. Mrs O’Connor resided there until her passing some years ago. Catherine and her husband Brian Rafter now own the property.
Barry built a fine two storey residence in a fine setting on a separate site next door to the family home. And continuing the O’Connor connection with Fair Hill, Barry’s daughter has built a fine modern house on the site once occupied by the colourful Jim Cahill. All the houses enjoy a fine view of the golf course especially over the 12th, 9th and 8th fairways.
Plaques to be unveiled on Saturday at 1pm
To mark the Centenary of the Fair Hill Pavilion at Bonnettsrath Road, Newtown, the club will unveil two heritage plaques at its Glendine Pavilion on Saturday next, May 18 at 1pm. Firstly a Foundation plaque listing all of the locations of Kilkenny Golf Club since its inception in 1896 and secondly a professionals' plaque listing all of the professionals who have served the club since 1910. A third plaque will commemorate the centenary of the opening of its Fair Hill pavilion at the 12th tee.
The content and mounting of the plaques has been arranged by KGC’s Heritage Group: Mary Browne, Jo Duggan, Mary Prendergast, Billy Burke, Michael Grant, Brian Keane, Dom Murphy and Donie Butler (chair).
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