Best wishes

Doneraile Golf Club would like to wish our Junior Home Nations team, management and everyone involved, a safe and memorable trip to the UK. Sincere thanks to everyone who has helped, supported or contributed in any way to make this trip possible. Great credit to the Home Nations fundraising committee for all their efforts.

CARE OF THE GREENS

All members and visitors have a role to play in ensuring our course remains in pristine condition. To keep our greens in excellent condition please repair all pitch marks. Every chip, pitch, and full shot has the potential to leave a mark on the surface of a green, especially in soft or wet conditions. You should repair any pitch marks that you see, even those that belong to the groups in front if they failed to repair them. Thanks to Seamus, Pius, John, and all the volunteers who continuously present the course in superb condition.

DONERAILE GOLF CLUB GIFT VOUCHERS

Vouchers from the Golf Club would make a great gift. They can be purchased for any amount and can be redeemed in the bar/ restaurant, green fees or towards membership. If you would like to purchase please contact Michael Forde 087-2205803 or Frank Carey 086-4055255 or admin@donerailegolfclub.com.

SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY MEMBERSHIP OFFER

Doneraile Golf Club is open for membership. All of us who play know that golf offers so much more. Not only is it a hobby for life, it offers a social outlet as well as a healthy lifestyle option. Membership of a golf club is a great way to be part of the local community and network with other people from the area. A chance to meet like-minded people, forming lifelong friendships. We offer a wide variety of competitions, both at weekends and midweek. Being a member gives you the opportunity to play when you like and generally as often as you like. Our clubhouse is a great place for eating, drinking and socialising with your friends

New members can avail of a special introductory offer. For further information please contact Frank Carey, hon. secretary admin@donerailegolfclub.com or Michael Forde, treasurer, forde. mike50@gmail.com.

MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL

It’s the time of year to renew your membership for 2023. Membership can be paid by cash, cheque or bank transfer. If any member would like further information please contact our treasurer Michael Forde. Many thanks to all those who have paid their subscriptions to date.

SENIORS RESULTS TUESDAY, 21ST MARCH

1st Michael Sheehan, Dermot O'Driscoll, John Carroll, Mary Kelleher 33 2/7. 2nd Mary O'Keeffe, Charlie Hanley, Noel O’Brien, Russell O'Brien 35.3 /7. Gross Tim Hickey, Moss Barrett, WP Hallihan, Kate Walsh -5. 3rd Pius O'Callaghan, John O'Leary, June O'Connor, Una Tierney 35 5/7.

Congratulations to all the prize winners and we hope everyone enjoyed their game.

LADIES SPRING LEAGUE FINAL KINDLY SPONSORED BY DONERAILE BRIDGE CLUB

The final of our Ladies Spring League was played last Sunday. The two teams competing in the final were team lady captain Karena Hunter, Eileen O'Donovan, Helen Stafford and Una Tierney versus team Ellen Walsh, Marie Kelleher, Mary Cronin and Mary Kelleher. It was a well fought match played in great spirit by both teams with the honours going to lady captain Karena's team.

The Spring Cup and prizes were presented by Sinead Coleman, Mary O'Keeffe and Eileen O'Riordan, members of Doneraile Bridge Club. Sincere thanks to Doneraile Bridge Club for their sponsorship and continued support of our club.

PRESENTATION OF OUTSTANDING PRIZES

Outstanding prizes to date were presented last weekend by lady captain Karena and lady President Eileen. A particular well done to our 2022 golfer of the year, Marie Murphy. Many thanks to everyone for supporting our club competitions. Your support is very much appreciated

LADIES FIXTURES EASTER LAMB 12 HOLE COMPETITION KINDLY SPONSORED BY PAULA RUSSELL

12 hole Easter Lamb Competition will run until 6th April. Play as often as you like. Minimum 2 cards with best 2 cards to count to determine prize winners. Please check competition book for rules. 12 hole cards and handicap index sheet available in the locker room. Sincere thanks to Paula Russell for sponsoring our Easter lamb competition.

The Ladies Committee have been exploring the possibility of bringing back the Wednesday draws. We have had some people interested. We are going to use the 12 hole Easter Lamb as a tester for it so we will be having a draw at 10am on Wednesday, 5th April before the closing date of the Easter Lamb. Anyone wishing to play

in the draw needs to have their name in the clubhouse by 9:50am. A member of the committee will be available to oversee the draw. Members support of our weekly competitions would be very much appreciated.

PRESENTATION SPRING CUP KINDLY SPONSORED BY DONERAILE BRIDGE CLUB

Cian O'Brien, winner of the Spring Cup for 2023 was presented with the Spring Cup last weekend. A wonderful achievement for Cian and his Family. Also present were our generous and loyal sponsors, Doneraile Bridge Club represented by Sinead Coleman, Mary O'Keeffe and Eileen O'Riordan. Outstanding prizes for recent Gents and Club Competitions were also presented.

Congratulations to all our prize winners and our thanks to everyone for supporting our weekly competitions.

GENTS’ RESULTS SUNDAY 26TH MARCH

Winner John Mulchinock, 42 points. Well done John. Thanks to everyone who played and supported the competition.

FIXTURES

Saturday and Sunday, 1st and 2nd April, 18 Hole Club Foursomes.

JUNIOR GOLF

Kick start Easter with a swing! We are delighted to announce that our Junior Golf Programme will run over the Easter holidays. Thursday 6th and Thursday, 13th April from 8.30am to 11am. Doneraile Golf Club is always on the lookout for new junior members. You can be assured they will be warmly welcomed into the club. For further information please contact our hon secretary Frank Carey or our junior convenor Michael Quirke.

JUNIOR ACADEMY

The Doneraile Junior Academy is making history by qualifying for the 2023 Junior Home Nations Inter Club Finals which will take place in the UK from 2nd to 6th April 2023, across two champion

ship courses in Shropshire, MacDonald Hill Valley and MacDonald Portal. A mixed team of nine junior players will represent Ireland and their home club, Doneraile Golf Club, in the prestigious competition along with teams from England, Scotland and Wales.

Situated in the picturesque rural, 9-hole golf course flanked by the River Awbeg, the vision of the Junior Academy was to ensure that any “child that comes through the Doneraile gates will be given the opportunity to play golf”. With a current membership of approximately 70 junior members the academy is on an upwards trajectory since winning the 2019 Munster Junior Sixes, the 2021 Munster and All Ireland Golf Sixes in Portmarnock, the Munster West 2022 Gold Pennant in Blarney and the All-Ireland 2022 U19 Inter-Club Silver medal in Ballina.

As a small, rural golf club we cannot express how proud we are of the history we are making. None of which would be possible without the dedicated volunteerism of club officers, mentors, convenors, parents and, of course, the exceptional coaching of the PGA Professional Michael Collins. We want to keep making history and creating opportunities for our junior girls and boys to showcase their skills.

As a Junior Academy this is one of the biggest challenges we have encountered. We need to raise funds to get our mixed team of 4 girls (U19 Interclub) and 5 boys Fred Daly) to the 2023 Junior Home Nations competition and give them the sporting experience of a lifetime.

An idonate page, is one of the many fundraising initiatives that have been undertaken by the parents and Doneraile Junior Academy Committee to support our young and ambitious team of players www.idonate.ie/crowdfunder/ DoneraileAcademy.

Thanks to everyone for their generous contributions and support to date. We were delighted with the great response to our quiz night and fun scramble last weekend.

Any queries can be directed to the Doneraile Junior Academy Home Nations Fundraiser coordinator Brendan O’Sullivan.

SYMPATHY

Doneraile Golf Club would like to extend our sincere condolences to our esteemed past lady president Maureen Hunter and her granddaughter, lady captain Karena Hunter on the sad passing of Maureen’s Sister, Rita Taaffe. Ar Dheis dè a anam.