The enduring legacy of Major Dermot McCalmont MC - famed Kilkenny Golf Club president and Freeman of Kilkenny

This year is the centenary of the move by Kilkenny Golf Club from its Kilcreene golf course home to Newtown, Bonnettsrath Road. That same year saw the election as president, Major Dermot McCalmont MC (MFH) of Mount Juliet, Kilkenny, a post he was to serve in for over a decade.

Major Dermot, who was born in 1887, was son of Maj-Gen Sir Hugh McCalmont KCB CVO of Abbeylands, White Abbey, Antrim whom had leased Mount Juliet in 1909.

The Kilkenny Journal newspaper of the day reveals that Kilkenny Golf Club was founded in 1896, and formally opened on April 2nd by E Smithwick, JP at Barrett’s Hill, later known as Bishop’s Demesne. It had subsequent homes at Richview, Castlecomer Road 1901, Garrencreen, Hebron Road and Kilcreene 1908. Its first president was the Marquis of Ormonde a member of the Butler family of Kilkenny Castle.

Sir Hugh McCalmont initially leased the 1,500 acre Mount Juliet estate once known as Walton’s Grove near Thomastown, Kilkenny in 1909 from the Earl of Carrick, Somerset Charles Viscount Ikerrin, Baron Butler of Mount Juliet before purchasing it outright in 1914. His son, Major Dermot McCalmont (1887–1968), had inherited a fortune from his second cousin, Harry McCalmont in 1906.

The manor house alone employed a head chauffeur, house steward, butler, three footmen, a pantry boy, odd job man, major’s valet, Lady Helen’s groom, housekeeper, cook, two kitchen maids, scullery maid, laundry maids, nanny, nursery maid, Lady Helen’s maid, 15 men in stables, six in garage and 10 in the gardens. It housed several Rolls Royce motor cars and was the largest employer in the Thomastown area right up to the 1980s.

The family was steeped in the British military, with Maj-Gen Sir Hugh and Major Dermot giving long service to the armed forces.

Sir Hugh was a Unionist MP for North Antrim 1895-1899. He fought in several wars in Europe, Asia, Middle East and Africa. He died in May 1924 — a consequence of which was the postponement of the official opening of the golf club’s new pavilion at Fair Hill, Bonnettsrath Road, Newtown as a mark of respect to Major Dermot, the club’s new president.

Major Dermot inherited a fortune of £100,000stg per annum from his second cousin Harry McCalmont in 1906. In today’s money, this would equate to the staggering sum of in excess of £15 million.

His father Sir Hugh was a close political colleague of the Unionist leader Edward Carson who had declared against votes for women and thus invoked the wrath of the Suffragettes for his opposition. The family home at Abbeylands was burnt to the ground in 1914.

Major Dermot was Master of the Kilkenny Hunt for almost 50 years. In 1915 he established Ballylinch Stud with his first stallion The Tetrarch. Two other famous horses were Tetrarch’s son Tetratema and his son Mr Jinks, all noble names that resonate with racing enthusiasts everywhere.

The McCalmonts largely patronised flat racing. Dermot had four sons — Victor by his first wife and Hugh, Patrick and Michael in his second marriage. Following the sale of the estate in 1987 by Victor to Dr Tim Mahony of Toyota fame, he lived to see his magnificent Mount Juliet open in 1991 as a world class golf resort designed by the legendary Jack Nicklaus. It staged the Irish Open golf tournament in 1993, 1994 and 1994.

Major Dermot was educated at Eton and the RMC Sandhurst and died in Rhodesia in 1968 aged 81 years. His wife, Lady Helen had predeceased him in 1938.

Victor, born in 1919, had taken on the responsibility of running Mount Juliet after Dermot retired. He died in Wicklow in 1993.
His wife, Bunny predeceased him in 1987. The McCalmonts were very generous to all sports and cultural organisations in County Kilkenny. There is hardly a sport played in Kilkenny that does not have a McCalmont Cup competed for annually — be it horse racing, hunting, golf, soccer, greyhound racing, point to point, angling, badminton, athletics, billiards and snooker, showjumping, GAA etc.

Major Dermot also was President of the Kilkenny Agricultural Show Society based at St James’s Park in Kilkenny City. In December 1937 Major Dermot was honoured by receiving the ‘Freedom of the City of Kilkenny’ by the Corporation.

GENEROUS
The McCalmont family are frequently referred to as very generous people, be it by former staff at the estate or people living in the locality of Mount Juliet. It is said that they were one of the largest employers in the hinterland of Stoneyford, Knocktopher, Thomastown and beyond.

Victor’s son Harry runs the very successful Noreland’s Stud near Mount Juliet estate today. They have enjoyed great success in the bloodstock world in recent years.

A look-back article from 1940 in the Kilkenny People, reports: “Second-lieutenant Victor McCalmont, Royal Dragoons, who is with his regiment in Palestine, came of age on Tuesday. He is the only son of Major Dermot McCalmont, MC, MFH, of Mount Juliet, Thomastown, Kilkenny, and of the late Lady Helen McCalmont. To celebrate the occasion, Major McCalmont personally gave a cash present to each of his 250 employees at Mount Juliet and Ballylinch.”

The McCalmont Cup in play today at Kilkenny Golf Club was donated by Major Victor and is still regarded as one of the major prestige trophies played for annually by the male members of Kilkenny Golf Club. The first mention of the competition in the Kilkenny People newspaper is 1932.

Unfortunately, many of the records of the golf club, which had been maintained meticulously by Herbie and Pat Masterson over many years, disappeared following a fire circa 2000.

Kilkenny Golf Club is most fortunate to have had most benevolent and generous benefactors in the McCalmont family and expresses its grateful appreciation to successive generations of the McCalmont’s.

Many members of the McCalmont family are interred at the very picturesque graveyard at St Peter’s Church, Ennisnag near Stoneyford including; Lady Helen wife of Major Dermot d 1938, Bunny wife of Victor d 1987, Rose Elizabeth wife of Sir Hugh d 1935, Major Dermot d 1968 and Major Victor d 1993.

The lower entrance gates to the cemetery are dedicated to Bunny and Victor by their three children Harry, Peter and Diana. The plaque was erected in 1995.

Kilkenny Golf Club has established a heritage group within the club membership with the intention of identifying and establishing the heritage of the club. It welcomes any snippets of information, memorabilia or items of interest from present/past members or from their family or friends.

Of particular interest are old photographs of cups/trophies and press cuttings of major events. Contact Kilkenny Golf Club at enquiries@kilkennygolfclub.ie or phone 056-776 5400.