Heartbreak As Historic Irish Clubhouse Destroyed In Fire

Kenmare Golf Club's clubhouse, which was once a cricket pavillion in India, has been gutted by a fire

Historic Irish Clubhouse Destroyed In Fire
(Image credit: Kenmare GC)

Kenmare Golf Club's clubhouse, which was once a hunting lodge in India, has been gutted by a fire

Heartbreak As Historic Irish Clubhouse Destroyed In Fire

Tragedy struck at Kenmare Golf Club in Co. Kerry on Monday where its 1920s clubhouse was gutted by a fire.

Members and locals in the town are said to be heartbroken at this accidental fire that has destroyed the club's beautiful and historic clubhouse.

The structure was originally a hunting lodge in the Punjab and was shipped over to Ireland in 1926.

Its fire alarm went off at 4.15am on Bank Holiday Monday and the club's manager John Sullivan arrived less than 15 minutes later, but by then there was nothing he could do.

Historic Irish Clubhouse Destroyed In Fire

Fire crews arrived to tackle the blaze at around 4.30am, with at least five units needed to put it out, and thankfully no injuries were caused.

The club say it is now following formal insurance processes and is hoping to bounce back stronger from this disaster with help from its members and local community.

The clubhouse dates back to 1926 when it was used as a hunting lodge in India

Kenmare's clubhouse was one of the local area's iconic buildings and seen by all when entering the town.

"Every indication we have from our members and neighbours is that there is great fondness for the existing structure – we’ll need to consider this as we re-build," the club told Golf Monthly.

"Kenmare GC is a member-owned club, and our members are rallying around already, with plans being formed already to get services up and running for members and visitors alike.

"We’re determined to survive this as well as all the other pressures that have come with the Covid-19 crisis and emerge a stronger club at the other end.

"The response of the general public and the golfing community to this has been phenomenal. With the help of our friends and neighbours our club will survive this."

https://www.facebook.com/kenmaregolfclub/posts/3495212733831853

 

The club was founded in 1903 and features a scenic par-71 18 hole course, with stunning views of Kenmare Bay and the Caha Mountains.

Watch: Kenmare Golf Club flyover -

https://youtu.be/mXARuAEnKNY

Kenmare is one of a few UK and Ireland golf clubhouses to have burnt down in recent years.

In 2019, Machrihanish Golf Club's clubhouse was destroyed in a blaze, as was Glasgow Golf Club's in 2018.

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Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV