Two years on from disaster, Kenmare Golf Club is ready to rise from the ashes

CLUBBING TOGETHER: Kenmare Golf Club members counting down to the official reopening of their new clubhouse on Sunday. The historic pavilion that stood on the same place burned down after an electrical fault in 2020, but has been restored to its former glory.

Two years ago, hundreds of members stood on the 1st and 15th fairways of Kenmare Golf Club and watched their historic Clubhouse burn to the ground.

In the early hours of June 1, 2020, an electrical fault caused a fire which destroyed the Clubhouse. At the time lockdown restrictions were starting to ease, but the golf club was suffering like all local businesses – golf was in social-only mode, with the bar and buildings closed.

The original building was first mentioned at a Golf Club committee meeting in September 1925. The decision of the committee was to purchase a Pavilion from the Lansdowne estate which was originally used in India. Mr. P. Arthur received the contract to transport and erect the Pavilion, which was first opened in 1926.

This Sunday, August 7, at 3pm Kenmare Golf Club’s new Clubhouse will be officially opened.

It is a landmark day for the club and marks the culmination of over two years of planning and hard work.

Immediately after the fire, attention turned quickly towards rebuilding. Fundraising and rebuild committees both started work while the smoke was still rising from the old building. 

The support received from both the people of Kenmare and those associated with the local area overwhelmed the members as everyone got behind the golf club in their time of need. Support came in from all over the world.

The building work commenced in early 2021, and while working through all the challenges ’21 and ’22 presented – Covid, lockdowns, rising costs, supply delays - a superb building was delivered in time for a soft opening in May 2022 and the official opening on August 7.

The new building has been designed to retain the character of the original one but incorporates all the facilities and modern conveniences required in 2022. 

Manager John Sullivan commented: “This building provides us with everything we need and feedback from our visitors has been very positive.”