Relief as Ballykisteen Golf Club to carry on under new owners

There were concerns the 18-hole championship course would be closed down and repurposed for agricultural use

Ballykisteen Golf Club

The new owner of Ballykisteen Golf Club looks set to rent the course to members according to the auctioneer who helped to broker the deal.

The news is a huge relief to the 400 club members who feared their club would cease to exist under new ownership.

The 18-hole championship course was on sale in recent months as a “golf facility or as farming land” leading to concerns that the sprawling property would be closed down and repurposed for agricultural use.

Indeed, a campaign to retain the land as a golf course was launched last month with over 1,000 people signing a petition against selling the facility for agriculture.

GVM's group property director, Tom Crosse - joint agent with Joe Wheeler - confirmed to the Limerick Leader over the weekend that the course had been sold having attracted interest from both the farming community along with business people.

Mr Crosse, a past captain and president of Ballykisteen Golf Club, said: “The end purchaser is now hoping to work out a deal with the members to rent them the course.

“News of the sale as a golfing facility was greeted with widespread support and approval from the 400 existing members, the local community and general Tipperary area.”

The purchaser is believed to be a Tipperary-based businessman who paid close to €1.25m for the course on 155 acres.

Local TD Mattie McGrath welcomed the news: “This is a huge relief to the whole community. I have been told by the campaign group that the land has been purchased by an Upperchurch business family and the group have been given assurances that it will continue to be used as a golf course.”