*Trump Doonbeg. Photograph: Arthur Ellis.
OFFICIALS from Clare County Council are due to meet with staff from the Department of Transport as they put forward the case for improving the infrastructure of West Clare in advance of the Irish Open and Walker Cup.
Trump Doonbeg hosts The Irish Open from September 10th to 13th next year while this is preceded by the fifty first Walker Cup at Lahinch Golf Club to be held on September 5th and 6th.
Senior officials in the local authority are understood to have made a special request for additional funding in advance of the major golfing tournaments coming to Clare.
Cllr Michael Shannon (FF) called on the Council to secure funding “for physical infrastructure improvements to roads, footpaths, lighting, signage and all other ancillaries to ensure Clare’s unique and beautiful image is portrayed around the world during the Irish Open in Doonbeg next September”.
Senior engineer Cyril Feeney said Council officials will be engaging with event organisers, local stakeholders and government departments “in the coming months to ensure the targeted infrastructure investments are made to deliver these world class events”.
Speaking at the October meeting of the Council, Cllr Shannon stressed, “We have a huge effort to make between now and Sept for our physical infrastructure to make sure we have a successful Irish Open”. He stated, “My eyebrows were raised when I heard €10m was paid out to bring the NFL to Dublin, we’re talking double that figure because of the physical deficit we have”. Shannon added that it would require a community effort, “West Clare is such a beautiful place that we need to portray that to the world, we’ve two chances to get it right for the Walker Cup, Irish Open and Ryder Cup”.
On Wednesday, Uisce Éireann were due to commence works on relaying a new line to guarantee the water supply to Doonbeg won’t be disrupted during The Irish Open.
Feeney told the meeting a delegation from the Council were meeting with the Department of Transport officials in November. “It is our foremost on our agenda. Physical infrastructure is one element, we’re conscious of trying to do an event in the village of Doonbeg,” he said. “We are conscious of the TV audience but we also know social media has nearly eclipsed the television audience”.
Seconding the motion, Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) commented, “it is a real opportunity, there will be a lot of eyes on our county and this is an opportunity to sell it, let’s make the Government wake up a small bit”.
Lahinch successfully hosting the 2019 Irish Open offers a wealth of experience, Cllr Rita McInerney (FF) noted. “We need to move now to look for infrastructure developments to ensure we have legacy to live on beyond this. If people have a very good experience from visiting West Clare there is no reason that they may decide to locate themselves in West Clare”.
Funding from Central Government and Fáilte Ireland must be set aside for Doonbeg and Lahinch, Cllr Joe Killeen (FF) stressed. “The golf is a wonderful opportunity to showcase West Clare and the county. Don’t forget the arteries from East Clare to West Clare and the rest of the county also needs investment like the R352 and Active Travel for rural areas,” remarked Cllr Conor Ryan (FG).
