The History of Racquet Sports in Clare

 

A draft history (over 2,500 pages) of Clare Tennis, Badminton and Squash Clubs since 1888 has been completed and is on the ennistennis.com website for download.

In Tennis the main clubs to feature are the The County Clare LTC (122 pages),The Fergus Lawn Tennis Club (527 pages), and the Ennis Lawn Tennis and Badminton Club.

The County Clare Tennis Club (1888 - 1948)

The history gives a summary of each year and a short profile on 95 members, with features on the families of Rev J.H. Griffith, Rev J.J. Griffin and Rev Richard Scott. There are also newspaper articles and photos.

The Fergus Lawn Tennis Club (1933 - 1982) history gives a summary of each year and a short profile of over 180  members, with features on Frank Cassidy, Fr Frank Cassidy, Noel Cassidy, Claire Cassidy, Jerry Ryan, Bill Bluett, Tom Byrne, Liam Cahir, Cyril Cuddy, Anna and Leslie McCrum, Frank (Diver) McNamara, Fr Eddie McNamara, Joe Molony, Jimmy Monahan, Fr Sean Moriarty, Noreen Smythe and Fergus Walsh.

Memories of the time are given by Ghislaine De Regge, Tom Mannion, Oliver Moylan, Larry Byrne, Jerry Cahir, Kevin Merry, Des Travers, Sinead Spellissey and John Gallagher. There are also newspaper articles, photos etc for each year.

The Ennis Lawn Tennis and Badminton Club ( 1982-) history gives a summary of each year and a short profile of over 260 members, with features on Tom Eade, Gerry Bredin, Johnny Flynn, Tom Mannion, John McLaughlin and many others. There are also newspaper articles, photos, AGM reports etc  over the decades.

There are also newspaper reports (over 100 years) on 12 other Tennis clubs. These include Ennis Guards, Ennistymon, Kildysart, Kilkee, Killaloe, Kilrush, Labasheeda, Lisdoonvarna, Miltown Malbay, Ogonnelloe, Scariff and Shannon.

In Badminton the main club to feature (333 pages) is the Ennis Badminton Club, formerly known as the Catholic Social Club (1958 - 1982).

There is a summary of each year and a short profile of over 51 members, with features on Evelyn Carey, Gerry Collins, Tom Dillon, Frank McInerney, Niall McMahon, Phil Molony, Maureen O'Connell, P.J.Molony, Frank O'Dea and Joe W. Williams. There are also newspaper articles, photos, AGM reports etc for each year.

The original Ennis Badminton Club (1933 -1950) also features. Its members included Ignatius Houlihan, Irene Scott, Des Torrens (Irish Rugby International), P F Molony, R Baker, M.C. Stronge, I Knox and many others.

There are also newspaper reports (over 77 years) on 26 other Badminton clubs. These include An Droichead, Annaghneal, Ardnacrusha (48 pages), Broadford, C.B.S., Clarecastle, Cooraclare, Corofin, Cratloe, Cree, Ennistymon, Kilkee, Kilkishen, Killaloe, Kilmaley, Kilmihil, Kilrush, Labasheeda, Lisdoonvarna, Miltown Malbay, Mullagh, Newmarket on Fergus, Quin, Scariff, Sixmilebridge, Shannon and Tulla. There is also a feature on the Clare Badminton Association ( formed in 1968).

In Squash the main club to feature (810 pages) is the One Mile Inn Squash Club  (1974 - 1991). There is a summary of each year and a short profile of over 100 members, with features on Gerry Bredin, Seamus Hayes, Jim and Ann O'Dowd, Denis Maurer, Tom Malone, Gert and Margaret Lacheiner, Tony Lillis and Michael Howard. There are also newspaper articles, photos, AGM reports etc for each year.

There are also newspaper reports ( over 27 years) on 15 other squash clubs. These include the Auburn Lodge, Ballina, Boys National, C.B.S. (157 pages), Clarecastle, Cooraclare, Ennis Golf Club, Ennistymon, Kildysart, Kilkee, Lissycasey, Newmarket On Fergus, Shannon Diamond and St Flannan's. There is also a feature on the Clare Squash Racquet's Association which was formed 30 years ago in 1982.

It is all leading towards the 125th anniversary of the Ennis Lawn Tennis and Badminton Club in 2013 when hopefully a book will be published.

It will be the 40th anniversary of the formation of the One Mile Inn Squash Club in 2014, when again a book hopefully will be published.