Killarney’s Irish Open ‘blessing’

ALTHOUGH the loss of the event would come as a considerable blow to local tourism interests, financial controllers at Killarney Golf andFishing Club are likely to take some consolation from the fact that the lakeshore facility stands to save up to €100,000 if the 2012 Irish Open is switched from Kerry to a Dublin venue.

Club directors, who responded positively when officially asked if they were interested in hosting the event for a third successive year, were upset to learn it is now extremely unlikely it will return to the acclaimed Killeen course.

But some senior officials within the club believe the expected loss of the event might be a financial blessing, given that the cost of hosting the event – which topped €80,000 this year – might no longer be sustainable.

Club sources confirmed a number of high-ranking members had been questioning the wisdom of hosting event due to the huge funding required for course improvements and the knock-on impact of lost green fees.

The Open, held in Killarney in 2010 and 2011, was estimated to be worth €35m per annum to the locality and attracted a worldwide television audience of in excess of 300 million.

Finance committee chairman, Michael Daly, acknowledged that, as a marketing and promotional tool, the Irish Open was an unquestionable benefit to the club and the town and generated income of €160,000 through the club shops and bars alone. But he warned: “The overall loss was disappointing and cannot be repeated.”

Separately, in his address to the recent club AGM, outgoing captain Pat Cussen said if the Open was toreturn in 2012, the club would have to secure significant financial support from “other local sources” who did not contribute financially yet reaped the rewards from the event.

“Local government must invest and support this proven and lucrative showcase for our town,” he insisted.

Killarney Golf and Fishing Club, which has three courses, reported that its financial performance fell well short of target in 2011 with a trading deficit of over €232,000.

The 2012 Irish Open is fixed for June 28-July 1 and the Colin Montgomerie designed Carton House course is now the frontrunner.