Fears for future of Achill Golf Club following storm damage

Fears for future of Achill Golf Club following storm damage


Edwin McGreal

There are growing fears for the future of the Achill Golf Links in Keel after the storm and flood damage of recent weeks.
Despite valiant efforts by members and staff of Achill Golf Club to get the course back to playing standard, it has proved a losing battle.
The course remains saturated, and the greens on the course have taken a battering from the rain and high tides.
Members at the club are stressing the need for increased sea defences. They fear for the club’s future if such infrastructure is not put in place.
Noel English, who is the treasurer of Achill Golf Club, has explained that the club, from its own resources, is not in a financial position to provide the coastal protection that is needed to guarantee the future of the golf links.
The fact the course is now closed and will remain so for some time is also impacting seriously on the finances of the club, he said.
The club captain, Brian Byrne, and the club secretary, Michael McGinty, are also very concerned about the worsening condition of the links.
They said that the management committee is doing all it can, but in the absence of financial help from the Government, they feel it will be a lost cause.
The club says it is not in a position to undertake any remedial works and repairs to the course until it is that this flooding will not reoccur.
The club has made representation to Michael Ring, Minister of State for Tourism and Sport to help them. Minister Ring has in turn made representations to the Office of Public Works and to Mayo County Council.
The club was told by the OPW that ‘discussions are to take place between the OPW, Local Authority Engineers and our Scientific Unit as to what necessary works will be needed at all the severely damaged coastal areas here in Mayo’.
Mayo County Council said that it cannot fund temporary repairs from its own resources, amd that it is  waiting for funding from central government to progress such repairs.
It also said it intends to ‘apply for additional coastal protection measures’ when such applications are being accepted.   
Achill-based Cllr MicheΡl McNamara is concerned that the club may not be up and running in time for the tourist season.
“I know the importance of the golf links to the club and its members, but of very special importance also is Achill Golf Club standing as an attraction for golfing visitors who come here to Achill in big numbers during the summer season.
“It is not good enough for the powers that be in Government to say that they cannot help in providing enhanced coastal protection measures for Achill Golf Club.
Every effort must be made to protect the golf links and ensure that the club is able to continue to provide that much needed facility in the parish,” he said.