The Cassidy Family

The Cassidy family were integral to the formation of the Fergus L.T.C. that later became the current Ennis Lawn Tennis and Badminton Club. Below are tributes to the Cassidy family, that include Mr Frank Cassidy and his daughters Claire and Mary and sons Noel, Frank and Flan.

Frank Cassidy

Frank Cassidy was born in 1897, the eldest of three children with Tommy and Mary Ellen. His father was Thomas Cassidy and his mother was Brigid (nee Hehir) from Ballygriffey Ennis. They owned a pub on Fahy's Lane and a farm on Victoria Road (Cusack Road) and Cloughleigh.

Frank and Nell

Frank worked in the drapery business at McBirneys in Limerick,which was purchased by Roches Stores in the 1940's. It was in McBirneys he met his future wife Nell O'Connor from Listowel who worked in the Millinery Department. They married on 7th Feb 1928.They had 5 children, Noel, Flan (RIP his grandchildren Emma and Mark Duffy play in the Ennis Club today), Mary RIP, Frank and Claire. They lived at 'Loyola' Cusack Road, where Flan's wife Rita and family now reside.

His father left him Victoria farm which was beyond the bridge on the Cusack Road, on the left hand side.  Frank subsequently became a builder, and built every house on that side of the road. He built the first all-electric house in Ennis.

The Fergus L.T.C. was built behind these houses on Franks land. He subsequently opened a shoe shop on the High Street.

When Frank was in Limerick he played soccer with The Limerick Commercials, which he captained from 1919 to 1924. He was also captain of the Castleisland Hurling team in 1919, and the captain of the Limerick Co. Football GAA Team from 1921 to 1924. 
He captained the winning Limerick Dalcassian Association Football Team to victory in 1925 when they won the North Munster Cup. Photo shows Frank seated centre in the front row with the cup. His brother Tommy also won a Munster Provincial Cap for Hockey. Frank was also the first Club Secretary of Ennis Rugby Club, and played for Ennis from 1927 to 1932. 

Not only was Frank a keen sportsman but he was also very involved in Drama. He helped to form The Ennis Theatre Guild (1934 -1950), and The Ennis Dramatic Society. He produced and managed many of their productions including  'The Righteous are Bold',
'Tons of Money', 'The Cobweb's Glory' and 'The Patsy'.

He was also a founding member and Hon Sec. of the Ennis Progress Associaton (1939 -1950). He was a Life Member of the Knights of Columbanus.

Fergus L.T.C. 1938. Frank Cassidy back row 2nd from right. Noel
Cassidy kneeling at the front.

Frank was a founding member of the Fergus L.T.C. in 1933. He owned the land that the Club was built on before they moved to the Mill Road in 1948.  

He was on the Club Committee in 1933, 1934, 1935, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1953 and 1954.
He played for the Club Team in 1934, 1935, 1937 and 1938.

Frank had joined the County Clare L.T.C. in the early 30’s but wasn’t overly impressed with the attitude of its members to shopkeepers. So he and his friends decided to build their own tennis club.
The club had four courts and a large timber pavilion painted green and red. The early committee members were Jerry Ryan (Club President for 25 years), Mick Coleman, Bill Bluett, Ned Hickey, Frank O’Connell, E.Monahan Michael Haugh, P.Walsh, J.V.O’Beirne, F.McMahon, M. McHugh, F. O’Connell, Imelda Hickey, Nellie McMahon, Mary E and Kathleen Kerin. In 1934 the subs were Ladies 15/-, Gentleman £1, Family £2, non playing members  10/-, children U-16 10/-.

The club was enlarged in 1935 so that it could hold cater for a dance band (2/- a ticket). Occasionally they would hold a ‘Cinderalla Dance’ in the Queen’s Hotel (2/6 a ticket). 300 people  attended a Tennis Grand Dance there in 1938. Table tennis was also played at the club when it rained.

The club  sent its best juniors to Fitzwilliam for the Irish Junior Championships on a regular basis, with great results. The 

From left Nell and Frank Cassidy at a tennis
dinner 1949

Cahill Cup was presented to the club in 1944 for the Mens Singles Championship by Paddy Cahill, Munster and Leinster Bank. It was a beautiful trophy and is still given to the mens champion at the club to this day.

By 1946 the club was bursting at the seams and it decided to amalgamate with the County Clare Club. In 1948 it moved from the Cusack Road to the current site on Mill Road and replaced the previous club. It became even more popular and successful through the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s. The club became the best location in Ennis for young people and ran regular ‘hops’ every Saturday night at the old pavilion. It also ran two fundraising dances every year in Kilkee and Lisdoonvarna.

 The first hard court was installed in the early 50’s, and the second in 1962. The remaining grass courts were replaced with a pitch and putt course. The club then became the Ennis Tennis and Pitch and Putt Club. Photo shows a group at the Mill Road in 1948. Frank is in the back row on the left.

Frank then opened a shop and service station on the Cusack Road called the 'The Rock Filling Station'. Flan worked in the business. Photo shows Flan far left, Claire and Frank seated.

Frank passed away in Jan 1977. Nell died three months later in April 1977. Flan passed away 3 weeks later, 22nd April 1977.




Claire Cassidy

Claire was Ladies Club Champion in 1953, 1954 & 1956.

She also won the Ladies H/Cap Singles Champion in 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955 & 1956, and the Junior H/Cap in 1948.

She was the Catholic Institute Ladies Champion in 1957. Claire was on the Fergus L.T.C. Committee in 1954, 1958 & 1959.

Photo shows Claire in 1954 winning the Ladies Singles Championship.
Claire worked in Hotel Management and now resides in Limerick. She has five children Frank, Richard, Paul, Desmond and Rhona. Today Rhona and Desmond play at the Limerick Lawn Tennis Club.

Photo of Claire on her wedding day with Frank and Mary.

Mary Cassidy

Mary won the Ladies H/Cap in 1945. She was the first winner at only 12 years of age. The Trophy was called The Irish House Cup. She was Ladies H/Cap Singles R-Up in 1948. She was on the Fergus L.T.C. Committee in 1949 & 1957.

Photo shows Mary's wedding day, with Flan and Noel in the back row and Frank, Claire, Mary, Nell and Frankie in the front. Mary was a dress designer and designed an outfit for Caroline Kennedy during the Presidency of JFK. She married Jim and had two children Leson and Graham.

Noel Cassidy

Noel was Club Champion in 1946 & 1947, and was  Runner-up in 1945 (see left photo, Noel on the left)).

He travelled to Fitzwilliam in 1944. See photo on right. Noel is on the far right.

He was Munster Junior Senior Boys handicap Doubles Finalist in 1945 with Larry Byrne.

He was Munster Junior Senior Boys handicap Singles Champion 1945 ( Defeated Larry Byrne).

He was Mens Open Champion in Tipperary, Athlone and Cavan.

In all he won over 40 cups.

Photo shows Noel back right going to Fitzwilliam.Noel now lives in Galway. He left Ennis in 1948 and became a bank manager. He married Catherine and they had 4 children Helen, Anne, Cathy and Noel.

Fr. Frank Cassidy 

The Ennis Faughs Senior Champions 1952. Frank is in the first row 2nd from the right.

Frank R-Up in 1949

Frank was Club Tennis Champion in 1954 and 1957, and  Runner-Up in 1953, 1956 and 1958

He was the Club Junior Handicap Winner in 1945 and 1947, and Club Mens Handicap Singles R-Up in 1949

He was the South of Ireland  Mens Handicap Singles Champion in 1957, and West of Ireland Mens Singles R-Up and Mens Doubles R-Up in 1958 with Noel Cassidy.

He was the Limerick Close Mens Singles Champion in 1958  ( The Shelbourne Cup)

He was Limerick Close Mens Doubles R-Up  in 1958 (Liam Cahir)

He was Club Captain in 1956, 1957, 1958 and Hon. Vice President in 1964 and 1959.

Left Frank R-Up 1956 to Fr Sean Moriarty.

Right Frank Club Champion in 1957. Back row 3rd from right. 

Fr. Frank left Ennis for Los Angeles  in 1959.

Photo on left 1964. Frank on left Noel 2nd from right.

Photo on right. Fergus L.T.C. reunion 2000. Frank in the centre.         

 In 2009 Fr. Frank celebrated the Golden Jubilee of his ordination.
  

Noel Frank and Claire at Frankie's Golden Jubilee in 2009



I was fortunate to meet Claire, Frank and Noel in 2009. They spoke for hours on the club, and gave invaluable information on the history of  the club. I was able to show them the Cahill Cup that Frank won in 1954 and 1957 and Noel won it in 1946 and 1947. The same cup is presented to the Mens champion to this day. Frank (Left) and Noel (Right) hold the Cahill Cup.

Flan Cassidy

Flan Cassidy played tennis but not competitively. He was more interested in playing rugby and like his father was Club Secretary for many years of the Ennis Rugby Club. Flan worked in Ennis Self Drive, and had the first School of Motoring in Ennis. He married Rita and they had 6 children, Mary, Imelda, Edel, Frank, John and Clare. Flan passed away in 1977. His grandchildren Mark and Emma Duffy play in the tennis and badminton club today.