Minister supports Irish Open

SPORTS Minister John O’Donoghue last night threw the Government’s weight behind attempts to keep golf’s Irish Open afloat next year.

The Minister inked a Bord Failte deal with Padraig Harrington yesterday and admitted that it would be incongruous to promote tourism through golf in this country and not have an Irish Open next year.

The minister was speaking after Harrington signed a deal with Bord Failte to promote Irish tourism up to 2006, the year the Ryder Cup comes to Ireland and The K-Club.