Bill Bluett

Bill Bluett was a founding member of the Fergus L.T.C. in 1933, which precedes the current Lawn Tennis and Badminton Club. He was Club Secretary for 13 years from 1933 to 1947. He returned to the Club again in 1982 to become Trustee of the newly formed Ennis Lawn Tennis and Badminton Club.

He was born in 1909 in Brickfield between Kilmallock and Charleville on the Limerick/Cork border. After his schooling he served his time as a draper’s assistant in Murray’s Store in Charleville. He came to Ennis in 1931 and worked for two years in O’Dea’s Drapery Shop in O’Connell Street.

He then went into partnership with Ned Hickey to set up ‘The Irish House’, a thriving clothes and household goods shop in O’Connell Street close to the monument. Ned Hickey was also very involved in the Fergus L.T.C.

At the Cusack Road 1938. Bill is the first row 3rd from right

He also managed a linen factory with the co-operation of Richard Nelson (of the Belfast Linen Co.). It was called Richard Nelson & Co. and based in Thompson’s Lane off O’Connell Street. This firm supplied linen hankerchiefs and glass cloths to shops and stores all over Ireland. Its main customers were the Duty Free Shops and Mail Order Stores in Shannon Airport. To this he devoted the last of his active years and through it made many friends throughout the country.

1948

He was Club Secretary in 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946 and 1947.

He played for the Club Team in 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1945, 1946.He was the Club Final Umpire 1945 and 1948.

In 1942 Bill married Eileen Baggot of Dublin. They had four children, Liam, Desmond, Maria and Brian (who died in 1991).
Bill was also involved with local community work, especially the St. Vincent de Paul Society of which he was a member from 1942 until his death. Early in his career he joined  the local Ennis Theatre Group.

1948 at the Mill Road. This photo taken by Bill shows Ned Hickey back row on the right, and Eileen Bluett centre row 4th from left.
Frank Cassidy is in the back row on the left next to Jerry Ryan.

He was also a member of the Ennis Golf Club for many years. He served with distinction as Captain (1957) and President (1961), and was conferred an Honorary Life Membership in thanks for all his work. In 1961,through his efforts as a local agent for the Bell Bros. Belfast, he gave the Club the beautiful Bell Trophy ,which is still presented to this day.



Bill and Liam

 He was a Honorary Life Member of the Knights of Columbanus, having given of his best to that Order for over 50 years. He was also a valued member of the Irish Night Vigil to Lourdes Committee.

Bill at Shannon Airport

He  played a significant role in the formation of the Chamber of Commerce in Ennis.

His interest in photography began at an early stage and he won his first camera, a box-brownie in a competition run by a Sunday newspaper in 1923 , when he was 14. The camera however was damaged in the post and never worked. He became actively involved in the hobby in the early 1930’s. Most of his early photographs are in black and white, many of which he developed himself.

Eileen Bluett and Dr O'Shea

In 1945 he got a secondhand Leica from post-war Germany. He had become over the years acquainted with many flight crews calling to Shannon and staying in the Old Ground Hotel. The camera was acquired for him by Johnny Hoffmire, a steward with TWA in exchange for cartons of cigarettes. (Johnny was subsequently killed in the TWA airline crash in the Shannon Estuary and is buried in the mass grave in Drumcliffe Cemetery). With the Leica, Bill’s interest changed to slide photography. Over the next 30 years he shot hundreds of rolls in colour.

1948 at the Club taken by Bill

His main areas of interest were the developing Shannon Airport, Ennis Golf Club and the Fergus Lawn Tennis Club. He also went to West Clare locations such as Kilkee, Miltown Malbay, Lahinch, the Cliffs of Moher, Doolin and Lisdoonvarns. Needless to say he concentrated also on Ennis itself and events in the town. Bill also shot film while in the U.S.in 1955, and on trips to Lourdes, Spain, Jersey and Switzerland.

By the late 1940’s he was also shooting with a 8mm movie camera and for a number of years filmed events of local interest. Included were ‘An Tostal’ which featured the arrival of the first American coach tour to the Old Ground Hotel. There was also the All-Ireland Fleadh in Ennis in 1956, the 50^th Episcopal Anniversary celebrations of Archbishop Michael Fogarty, the inauguration of Bishop Joseph Rodgers as Coadjutor Bishop of Killaloe, local Corpus Christi processions, sporting events and the obsequies of Bishop Rodgers.

He was not interested in competitive photography as such and indulged in the pursuit purely as a hobby, taking him into the late 1970’s. His love of photography was shared by his son  Brian who won prizes in several local competitions.

Bill on the left with Trustees Joe Molony, Joe Williams,
Kevin Vaughan and Oliver Moylan.

Bill returned to the tennis club in 1982. He became one of five Trustees for the newly formed Ennis Lawn Tennis and Badminton Club. This club was the combination of the Ennis Tennis and Pitch and Putt Club at the Mill Road, and the Ennis Badminton Club at Our Lady’s. The other Trustees were Joe Molony,  Joe Williams, Kevin Vaughan and Oliver Moylan. They all had links in previous years with the tennis or badminton clubs. The Trustees were essential in obtaining loans for the development of the Club which was very dilapidated with regular flooding. They covered loans for up to €500,000 in todays money. This investment revitalized tennis and gave the club excellent facilities. These included three new tennis courts with floodlighting for the first time. A new clubhouse with two dedicated badminton courts and dressing rooms and car park. The club has not looked back since.

In 1992 Eileen and Bill celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary. Also in that year Bill was conferred with the Benemerente Medal  for all his work with the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

Bill Bluett died on the 29^th December 1993. His obituary read “ All those who knew him, were saddened by the death of William Bluett,  Ard na Greine, Ennis, which occurred on December 29. One could say it was the end of an era, for Billy - as he was affectionately known - was active in the social, cultural and economic life of the town of Ennis…. Very Rev. Fr.Walshe, Adm, speaking at his funeral Mass said he was a man of great faith, great hope and great charity”. Eileen passed away six weeks later in Feb 1994.

A photo at the Turrett taken by Bill.

In August of 1994 Liam Bluett made the donation of Bill’s 200 colour slides and seven reels of film depicting the Banner County of the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s to the Clare County Library. The slides record daily life in the county and range in subject from family trips to the seaside to ceremonial occasions.  His photographs created quite a stir in 1996 when the collection was put on public exhibiton in the de Valera Library.  The collection can now be seen on the Clare County Library website www.clarelibrary.ie.