The Cups of Lahinch – Mens
The South of Ireland Championship
In 1895 Alexander Shaw, one of the founding fathers of Lahinch Golf Club donated the first cup for the South of Ireland Golf Championship. The “South” is an open amateur event and the oldest provincial golf championship in Ireland. In the early years many of the competitors came from the British Isles and when Fred Ballingall from Glenalmond in Scotland won the Championship for the third time in 1900, he was allowed retain the original trophy. In 1901 Alexander Shaw presented a second South of Ireland Championship Trophy. With the exception of the period 1914 to 1919 (First World War) the trophy has been competed for every year at the famous Lahinch links. A number of players who went on to become Professional Golfers and represent Britain & Ireland in the Ryder Cup won the event. These include John O’Leary, Darren Clarke, Paul McGinley and Graeme McDowell. Padraig Harrington was twice a beaten finalist. John Burke, Lahinch’s most famous golfing son, won the trophy a record eleven times. He won his last “South” title in 1946 defeating Joe Carr in a dramatic final. The last local player to win the Championship was John D. Smyth in 1968. A unique atmosphere pertains at every “South” as the top Irish amateur golfers join many overseas contenders and strive to win the most famous trophy in Irish amateur golf.
The John Burke Trophy Club Championship
The Club Championship Trophy was presented to Lahinch Golf Club in 1998 by Tony Garry. Tony Garry is a native of Ennis and past Captain of Lahinch Golf Club. The Club Championship is a 36 hole Stroke Play competition played off the back tees on the Championship Course. John Burke was the finest golfer ever to come out of Lahinch Golf Club and the best Irish amateur golfer of his generation. He won the South of Ireland Championship eleven times, the Irish Close Championship eight times, the West of Ireland Championship six times and the Irish Open Championship once. He played on the British and Irish Walker Cup team in 1932. He was conferred with Honorary Life Membership of the Club in 1937 and served as Club Captain in 1948. Most of his cups and trophies are retained in a display cabinet at Lahinch Golf Club.
The Mick O’ Loughlin Memorial Trophy
The Mick O’Loughlin Memorial Trophy was presented by the members to Lahinch Golf Club in 1959. The trophy honours one of the Club’s most famous personalities popularly known as “Mick the Mate”, a local family butcher. Mick had a wonderful turn of phrase and was one of the first native born Lahinch men to join the Club. He was twice South of Ireland Champion and won an All Ireland Barton Shield medal with Lahinch in 1947, partnering his great friend John Burke. He was conferred with Honorary Life Membership of the Club in 1956.
The Brud Slattery Memorial Trophy
The Brud Slattery Memorial Trophy was presented by Lahinch Golf Club in 1998 to honour the memory of one of its most famous sons. Brud Slattery was an influential member of Lahinch Golf Club from 1935 when he first joined until 1997. He served as Honorary Secretary/Secretary Manager to the Club from 1954 to 1984. He was President of the Club in 1988 and served as Captain for the celebration of the Club’s Centenary in 1992. He was conferred with Honorary Life Membership of the Club in 1950. He was also a Club Trustee. He won the South of Ireland Championship in 1947 and won All Ireland Senior Cup (1959) and All Ireland Barton Shield (1955) medals with Lahinch. He won 10 Munster Senior Cup medals and 8 Munster Barton Shield medals representing Lahinch. He was a great ambassador for Lahinch and for Irish golf, retaining a wonderful memory for names and faces. He was a marvellous administrator and his name will forever be linked with the development of Lahinch Golf Club in the 20th century.
The Greg Young Memorial Trophy
The Greg Young Memorial Trophy was presented by Lahinch Golf Club in 1992 to honour the memory of a great golfer and gentleman. The competition is now a Men’s Senior Open run over 36 holes – 18 holes on the Castle Course and 18 holes on the Championship course. Greg Young was a popular member of the Club and served as Club Captain in 1976. He was conferred with Honorary Life Membership of the Club in 1958. He was Runner Up in the South of Ireland Championship on five occasions and was also a finalist in the Irish Close Championship in 1957. He won All Ireland Senior Cup (1959) and All Ireland Barton Shield (1955) medals with Lahinch. In addition he won 8 Munster Senior Cup medals and 6 Munster Barton Shield medals representing Lahinch. He was a member of the Irish International team in 1958.
The Phelps Vase
After the South of Ireland Championship, the Phelps Vase is the oldest trophy played for at Lahinch Golf Club. It was presented in 1896 by Joseph and Ernest Phelps. The Phelps brothers were prominent in the Club in the 1890’s. Both were officers of the South of Ireland Imperial Yeomanry and the South Irish Horse. The Phelps family lived in Clonlara and the family motto was “Semper Virescit Virtus”. (Virtue will always flourish).
The Shaw Cup
The Shaw Cup was presented by Alexander W. Shaw to Lahinch Golf Club in 1896. Alexander W. Shaw was the founder of Lahinch Golf Club and the owner of the famous Shaw’s Bacon Factory in Limerick. He pioneered the early development of the Club and was instrumental in bringing old Tom Morris from St. Andrew’s to view Lahinch in May 1894 and recommend changes to the course layout. Alexander W. Shaw was Captain of the Club from 1892 to 1901 and President from 1892 to 1923. He was conferred with Honorary Life Membership of the Club in 1897 in recognition of his dedicated service to the growth and development of the Club. He also served as President of the Golfing Union of Ireland.
The Visitors Cup
The Visitors Cup was presented by Archibald Murray to Lahinch Golf Club in 1897. Sir Archibald Murray (1860-1945) was educated at Cheltenham College and prior to World War 1 acted as Chief of Staff to Sir John French ( who went on to become Lord Lieutenant in Ireland in 1921). Archibald served in command of British forces in Palestine and in the Middle East during World War 1, following earlier service in the Second Boer War. He was also in charge of the Expeditionary force in Egypt in 1917. Prior to his overseas army service, for which he received the Knight of the Grand Cross of the Order of Bath, he was a regular and popular visitor to Lahinch.
The Matterson Cup
The Matterson Cup was presented by Joseph Matterson to Lahinch Golf Club in 1898. Joseph was one of the founding members of Lahinch Golf Club. His forefathers, with the Russell’s, established the first Bacon Factory in Limerick in 1811. Four bacon curers came from Denmark to teach curing in Limerick. Their Bacon Factory was in Roche’s St. and The Matterson brothers also featured prominently on the Committee of the Club in its early years.
The Golf Links Hotel Cup
The Golf Links Hotel Cup was presented by the Golf Links Hotel Company to Lahinch Golf Club in 1898. The Golf Links Hotel was situated on the Miltown Malbay Road overlooking the village of Lahinch and opened its doors on 5th May 1896. The Chairman of the Company was James F. Bannatyne and its Directors were Archibald Murray, J.V. Phelps, William Barrington, William McDonnell, Alexander W. Shaw and Captain Robinson. Sections of the building were shipped from Norway to Cappa, Kilrush and on to Lahinch. Members of the British House of Commons, the House of Lords and the English business community were regular guests at the hotel in its early years. Archbishop Croke of Cashel, the first Patron of the Gaelic Athletic Association, stayed there in 1896. Another distinguished guest who stayed there in the early years was Sir Horace Plunkett, the founder of the Co-Operative Movement.
The Aspirants Cup
The Aspirants Cup was presented by J. B. Barrington (1859-1927) to Lahinch Golf Club in 1900. The Barrington’s were a prominent Limerick family and lived in Glenstal Castle, Co. Limerick from 1852 to 1925. J. B. Barrington was High Sheriff of Limerick in the early 1900’s and served on the County Council for the Castleconnell area from 1902 to 1917. The Barrington family contributed greatly to civic life in Limerick. The Barrington brothers were great oarsmen and in August 1876 they went to the United States to represent Ireland and Trinity College in the International Rowing Races at Philadelphia marking the centenary of the American Declaration of Independence. The family were also the prime breeders of the Irish setter.
The Pretoria Cup
The Pretoria Cup was presented by J. H. Phelps to Lahinch Golf Club in 1904. J. H. Phelps lived in Waterpark Clonlara and the Phelps family were prominent golfers in the early years of the Club and won many competitions. Another branch of the family lived in Sixmilebridge. The family supported the Union of Great Britain and Ireland and were prominent in the Limerick business community. A feature of the early competitions at the Club was the presence of a photographer. The Limerick Chronicle of August 7th 1894 reported after the August medal: “Mr. M. Buckley, Photographer, George’s St. who was specially commissioned by A. W. Shaw attended and took views of the different links. An unusual growth of grass on the sandhills side made scoring difficult”.
The Bogberry Cup
The Bogberry Cup was presented by Miss Pamela Parkinson to Lahinch Golf Club in 1911. The Old Course was formerly the Parkinson estate and the Parkinson family lived in a property adjacent to Lahinch National School. In former times this popular Church of Ireland family owned a good deal of property in the Lahinch area and were regarded as benign landlords. The Parkinson family were friends of the Sharry family who ran Sharry’s Hotel on Main St. Lahinch. It was because of this friendship that the early meetings of the Club were held in Sharry’s Hotel. The Parkinson name because of its association with the Old Course will always be remembered in Lahinch. For many years the Bogberry Cup was played for in match play format during the September Open Meeting.
The Munster Cups
The Munster Cups were presented to Lahinch Golf Club in 1915 by Fitz James Murphy and Thomas Coppinger, two prominent Cork business people. In 1856 the grand father of Fitzjames Murphy founded Our Lady’s Well Brewery in Cork, later to become famous as Murphy’s Irish Stout. Fitzjames Murphy was a fine golfer and won the South of Ireland Championship in 1921 and in 1923. Thomas Coppinger was a prominent Cork merchant and trader and a member of an old and respected Anglo Irish family. The family were associated with the Muskerry Blue – a famous Irish pony. Thomas Coppinger was Captain of Lahinch Golf Club in 1921. The Munster Cups was a prestigious four-somes competition and for many years was the final event at the August Open Meeting and continues to attract a fine entry.
The Arnott Cup
The Arnott Cup was presented by Capt. L. J. Arnott to Lahinch Golf Club in 1927. Sir Lauriston John Arnott (1890-1958) fought in the First World War and was wounded twice. He gained the rank of Capt. in the service of the 3rd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles. He was the 3rd Baronet Arnott of Woodlands, Shandon, Co. Cork. His grandfather Sir John Arnott founded Arnott’s Store in Dublin in 1843 and was M.P. for Kinsale from 1859 to 1863 and Lord Mayor of Cork from 1859 to 1861. The Arnott family owned the Irish Times newspaper from 1853 to 1957. During those years it was a liberal newspaper in the Unionist tradition. The format for the Arnott Cup is singles match play and it is played for annually at the August Open Meeting.
The Residents Cup
The Residents Cup was presented to Lahinch Golf Club by the residents of Lahinch and District in 1928. The idea was the brain child of Edmund L. Wickham who was Secretary at the Club from 1922 – 1935. Edmund L.Wickham was an outstanding Secretary. He played a key role in the MacKenzie Course Reconstruction – 1926 to 1928. He organised Debenture Loans amongst the members raising £2000 and oversaw the reconstruction work on the course.
The Wickham Cup
The Wickham Cup was presented by Edmund L. Wickham in 1932. Edmund L. Wickham was Honorary Secretary of the Club from 1922 to 1935. The competition is usually referred to as the Caddies Match and there have been many notable winners of the cup over the years. Tommy Queally, a valued member of the Ground Staff for a long period of time won the cup as did his two sons, P. J. and Johnny. P.J. also was a prominent member of the Ground Staff and won a Munster Senior Cup medal with Lahinch in 1984.
The Dr. Browne Cup
The Dr. Browne Cup was presented to Lahinch Golf Club in 1942 by Most Rev. Dr. Michael Browne, Bishop of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Apostolic Administrator of Kilfenora from 1941 to 1976, prior to that he was Professor of Moral Theology at St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth. Dr. Browne was a native of Wesport. He was conferred with Honorary Life Membership of Lahinch Golf Club in 1942. In recognition of that honour he presented a cup for annual competition at Lahinch Golf Club. He came to Lahinch on holidays on an annual basis and loved to play golf on both courses at Lahinch. A well read man during his time as Bishop he was a staunch defender of the small rural school and an influential figure in Irish society.
The Ennistymon House Cup
The Ennistymon House Cup was presented to Lahinch Golf Club in 1945 by Gerard Henry William Owens. A retired Welshman he owned Ennistymon House (the Falls Hotel) from 1945 to 1955. Ennistymon House was the home of the MacNamara family, one of the great old families of Co. Clare. An earlier family member, Major MacNamara, was elected as a Liberal to the British House of Commons in 1830 and served there for seventeen years. He was described “as a Protestant in religion, a Catholic in politics and a Milesian by descent.” The MacNamara family made a great contribution to the evolution of the town of Ennistymon. In the early years of the Irish Free State Ennistymon House was used as a temporary barracks for An Garda Siochana.
The Kilcoran Lodge Cup
The Kilcoran Lodge Cup was presented to Lahinch Golf Club by Jim Bourke in 1964. Jim Bourke was the owner of Kilcoran Lodge Hotel in Cahir, Co. Tipperary and a regular summer visitor to Lahinch. He presented the cup because of his great love for the Club. Kilcoran Lodge Hotel was once a hunting lodge built for Richard Butler, the second the Earl of Glengall 1794 – 1858. He also held the title of 2nd Viscount of Cahir and was a regular contributor to debate in the House of Lords. The title of Earl became extinct with his death. The hotel is in a beautiful location overlooking the Golden Vale and Knockmaeldown mountains.
The Frank O’Brien Cup
The Frank O’Brien Cup was presented by Mrs. Nancy O’Brien in 1971 to Lahinch Golf Club. The cup was in memory of Frank O’Brien, a dentist based in Castlebar, Co. Mayo who was Captain of the Club in 1959 and President in 1970-1971. The quietly spoken Frank and his wife Nancy made a valuable contribution to the Club. Nancy was Lady Captain of Lahinch Golf Club in 1965.
The Latymon Trophy
The Latymon Trophy was presented by T.R.W. Deakin in 1971 to Lahinch Golf Club. It is for annual competition between members from Lahinch and Ennistymon district. The trophy was originally presented to Ronnie Deakin on 16 May 1931 when he won the Captain’s Prize in Cheshire G.C. Ronnie Deakin ( affectionately known a “The Major”) was a prominent member of Castletroy Golf Club which was founded in 1937. He served with the British Army in France and in Malta during World War 2 and was involved in over three thousand raids. He played his first game of golf in Lahinch in 1946 with Malcolm Shaw, son of the Club’s founder A.W. Shaw. Ronnie Deakin served as Captain of the Club in 1957 and as President 1973-1974. He was conferred with Honorary Life Membership of the Club in 1988. His wife, Phyllis, was Lady Captain at Lahinch in 1964.
The Intermediate Scratch Cup
The Intermediate Scratch Cup was presented to Lahinch Golf Club in 1972 by Egan’s of Tuam. John Egan & Sons were a Mineral Water Company who had the Coca Cola franchise for the West of Ireland. The Egan family were valuable employers in the Tuam area.
The Spring Match Play Trophy
The Spring Match Play Trophy was presented by Allied Irish Banks to Lahinch Golf Club in 1978. It is a keenly contested competition and there have been many stirring finals over the years. Michael Walsh (Senior), a familiar and popular figure at the Club since the 1950’s won this cup on three successive years. His grandson Neil Kennedy Walsh was twice a winner. The match play format appeals to many golfers.
The Coolbawn Cup
The Coolbawn Cup was presented by S. C. Vansittart to Lahinch Golf Club in 1917. The Vansittart family were originally from Denham, Buckinghamshire and the family prospered in Coolbawn House, Castleconnell in the second half of the 19th century. A family member, Robert, was a distinguished member of the Foreign Office and was one of the first to see and write about the dangers of the growth in Germany for the support of Adolf Hitler. The family also received a life peerage. S. C. Vansittart was Captain of Lahinch Golf Club in 1919. Another member of the family, Mary, won many of the early Ladies competitions at the Club.
The Dolan Cup
The Dolan Cup was presented to Lahinch Golf Club in 1958 by Jeremiah Dolan for competition between Castletroy and Lahinch Golf Clubs. Jeremiah Dolan was a quietly spoken Limerick business man and aimed to promote friendships through golf. For many years the competition was played for on St. Patrick’s Day in a fourball format. The friendship between Lahinch G.C. and Castletroy is an enduring one. Castletroy Golf Club was founded in 1937 and Major T.R.W. Deakin was prominently associated with both Clubs.
