Looking back over the intervening years, the ICGS has provided me with a host of marvellous memories. I have made enduring friendships with a whole galaxy of characters from nearly every county in Ireland. The camaraderie and the sociability that was part of every outing was outstanding and the ‘afters’ consisted of musical interludes and some fine singing by various members doing their party pieces. With the passage of time, many members have gone to their eternal reward and are now playing on the celestial fairways.
The Society organised about eight to ten outings a year, visiting some wonderful venues such as Killarney, Fota Island, Portmarnock, Lahinch, Ballybunion, Carlow, Rosslare, The Heritage, Thurles, Royal Dublin, Little Island and of course Elm Park, home of the ICGS, and many others, too numerous to mention.
But the highlight of the year was the four-day outing to Tramore Golf Club — our Mecca. In my early years it attracted in excess of one hundred would-be golfers. The cut and thrust of the competitions was razor sharp. However, the Captains Prize was the pinnacle, which everyone strove might and main to capture. Four men annexed this coveted trophy on at least three occasions: Sean O’Neill of Limerick; Paddy Walker of Enfield; Frank O’Donnell of Abbeyleix; and Frank Reen of Millstreet. Some of our colleagues from the North of Ireland attended Tramore regularly and made their presence felt, as did the one or two that came from Scotland.
In February 1998 members of the ICGS broadened their horizons considerably when they embarked on a trip to Australia. Ostensibly the purpose of the tour was to take on our Aussie counterparts in a series of golf matches. Enroute to Australia we played a warm-up game on Sentosa Island, Singapore. Our games which followed in Australia were played on some very challenging courses in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Apart from the golf, we also had a memorable trip to the Great Barrier Reef, Old Melbourne Gaol where the bold Ned Kelly was hanged, the Opera House Sydney and the panoramic views from the Centre Point Tower there. On our way home we spent a few days in Bangkok.
During my captaincy in 2004 the Australian pharmacists came to Ireland in August of that year. Our first game in East Clare fell afoul of an Irish summer cloud burst and unfortunately play had to be abandoned after seven holes with the greens becoming waterlogged. However, the meal and cabaret that followed in the clubhouse more than compensated for the lack of golf. Next morning, with the sun beaming down brightly, we set out for the wondrous golf links of storied Lahinch. A great day’s golf by all and sundry was followed by a fine meal, craic, ceol agus ól, rounded off a memorable occasion. In 2022/2023 I was honoured to be chosen as Uachtarán of that fine body, the ICGS. On accepting this great honour, I made the following victim impact statement: “I aspire to inspire before I expire”.I suppose it was the culmination of fifty years spent in great company both on and off the fairways. I have a veritable host of memories to comfort me in my advancing years. “The world was made round so that friendship may encircle it” — the above quotation for me encapsulates the very essence of the ICGS.
Slán is beannacht libh uilig.
For more information on joining the Irish Chemists Golfing Society please contact Brendan Glennon on 087 907 4872 or email icgs@eircom.net.
Seán Ó Duibhir
Highlighted Articles
