Balbriggan Golf Club through the Years

The following historical facts are taken from a book titled
"Balbriggan Golf Club, Golden Jubilee 1945 - 1995"

1895: Had circumstances been otherwise, the club might now be celebrating its centenary instead of a half-century of existence. Around the turn of the century a few efforts were made to add a golf club to the sporting amenities of the area. The main one came around 1895 when land was obtained at Bremore, Balbriggan. A pavilion was purchased and funds raised by subscription. Unfortunately, owing to a legal technicality, the granting of the relevant lease became impossible and the project had to be abandoned. The pavilion was sold to a very progressive Balbriggan Cricket Club.

1933: Another effort to get golf established in the town came in 1933. The Hampton Demesne was the proposed site, but owing to a number of difficulties, including it seems, a lack of support for the move among potential members, this initiative died a death.

1939: The idea that golf could take root in Balbriggan kept recurring. In 1939, the year World War II broke out, it was estimated that 30 residents of Balbriggan were playing golf, and they were members of either Laytown and Bettystown or Skerries. The golfers from Bettystown, unknown to themselves, had a role in the foundation of Balbriggan Golf Club when they formed an unofficial body known as the Balbriggan Alliance. For a number of years this grouping held competitions confined to Alliance members and built up their own sense of camaraderie and identity.

1945: As 1945 dawned G.L. McGowan became aware that a 48 acre site at Blackhall, right opposite his front door, was coming on the market. John Purfield, who, in later years, lived in the big house at Blackhall, remembers his first intimation of what was afoot. "I got a message from the Lawyer to go to his house. When I got there he pointed out the land opposite and said "What d'ye think of that? Will that make a golf course?". Monday, August 6, 1945 - an auspicious day in World history. That was the day the Americans dropped the Atom bomb on Hiroshima. Many thousands of miles away, an altogether more peaceful event took place: the official opening of Balbriggan Golf Club.

1951: By 1951 a telephone and a radio had been installed. And there was a debate about whether members of Rush, Skerries and Laytown should become country members of Balbriggan.

1954: By 1954 membership subs had risen to £5 5s 0d and the ladies were paying £3 3s 0d.

1955: Expenditure exceeded income in 1955 by £220 due to the exceptional outgoings of £259 on a tractor replacement.

1963: Now 18 years old, the club faced a question about its future, as the lease from the landlord, Colonel Scriven, was due to expire. By happy coincidence, that year's Captain, Dr Edward Caraher, was a former comrade of Colonel Scriven. He was the the right man in the right place at the right time. Colonel Scriven had been considering his option as the year drew on. Dr Caraher approached him about the possibility of selling the lease. There was no telling what the reaction would be, but happily it was immediately positive. "The money I've been getting from you (£150 per annum) doesn't keep me in cigarettes. Of course I'll sell", Col. Scriven told Dr Caraher. Balbriggan Golf Club were 'landlords at last'.

1971: The owner of "Maguire's Field", a seven acre site which now includes the present day practise ground came to Joe McGowan after G. L. McGowan's death. He told him that his uncle had extracted a promise that if ever the land came up for sale, the Golf Club would have first refusal. He was now prepared to honour that committment. The land was purchased for £7,000.

1982: Two more big fields known as "Fox's Land", which today includes the second, third, fourth, fifth and tenth holes were bought.

1985: For many years, extending to 18 holes had been merely an aspiration. But as the golf boom gathered pace and membership numbers increased it became a reality during this year.

1988: "Hoare's Land", a 31.5 acre site was purchased in September 1988, further consolidating the Club's boundaries and enabling further course development.

1991: On April 27 the new clubhouse and course were officially opened. It was an occasion of great significance, and one which the founder members could hardly have envisaged on August 6, 1945.

1999: Improvements and 'fine-tuning' any golf course are not only necessary, they are imperative. During this year major work was carried out on the seventh and twelfth holes. Designed by Pat Ruddy, these two holes now support sand based greens and very challenging second shots!

2000: Plans are currently being drawn up to further improve certain holes on the course. In years to come the course may not resemble that which was planned by the founding members. But without their foresight and courage we might still be travelling to Skerries or Laytown and Bettystown for a chance to partake of the noble game.