The club, one of the oldest golf clubs in Ireland, was established in 1912 by Dr. John Love Morrow, a Presbyterian Minister from Antrim
Clontarf Golf Club(Image: Clontarf Golf Club)
One of Dublin’s most historic golf clubs has turned down a remarkable €75million offer to surrender their land for housing development and relocate elsewhere.
Clontarf Golf Club, situated just 4.3km from O’Connell Street in Dublin city centre, has long been coveted by property developers. Nevertheless, the club’s Management Committee has firmly rejected the proposal.
The 72-acre site at Clontarf GC operates under a partial lease from Dublin City Council, with that arrangement remaining in force for another 62 years.
However, Cairn Homes, Ireland’s largest housebuilding company, seeks to construct “thousands of homes” on the location, working alongside Green Land Capital on the scheme, reports the Irish Mirror.
According to documents secured by the Irish Mirror, Cairn Homes has suggested that Clontarf GC should move to an estate previously belonging to former Taoiseach Charles Haughey in north Dublin.
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The firm has offered to provide €60million to fund the construction of a Paul McGinley-designed golf course, clubhouse, practice facilities, bowling green and related amenities at the 185-acre Abbeyville location.
Additionally, a further €15million would be handed over to the club directly.
Clontarf Golf Club is believed to boast approximately 1,400 members.
Should the €15million be distributed equally amongst members, each would receive €10,714.
However, during discussions between the Management Committee, club Officers and Trustees, the offer was unanimously dismissed. Club members turned down a proposal for a land exchange agreement previously in 2022.
Cairn Homes has subsequently become involved and made an initial approach to Clontarf GC earlier this year but have now assembled a substantial financial package to entice the club into moving, claiming that it ‘can result in the most financially advantageous settlement’ for members.
Paul McGinley has endorsed the project, pledging a ‘best in class’ course design, whilst the architectural practice Lawrence and Long has been suggested and has presented a design for an ‘unashamedly modern building’, with proposals also featuring a 16-acre practice range and amenities such as a bowling green and padel courts.
The proposal depends on the Clontarf lands being rezoned for residential development and a “satisfactory” planning grant for new homes, alongside the granting of permission for a new golf course in Kinsealy.
In 2007, Clontarf club members approved a €125 million deal from Capel Developments that would have provided a payout of €100,000 to each full member and a relocation to the Portmarnock Links course.
Nevertheless, the deal collapsed months later during the economic downturn.
Clontarf Golf Club, one of the oldest golf clubs in Dublin, was established in 1912 on the lands of Mount Temple, largely due to the efforts and influence of Dr. John Love Morrow, a Presbyterian Minister from Antrim.
At that time, approximately 90 per cent of Irish golf courses were nine-hole courses.
In August 1921, a lease was obtained from Dublin Corporation for the land adjacent to Donnycarney House. Under Dr. Morrow’s guidance, work began immediately on creating a new golf course there, designed by renowned golf-course architect Harry Colt.
Colt later went on to design Royal Portrush (Dunluce course), Castle, the old Dun Laoghaire at Tivoli Road, and carried out significant work on the County Sligo course at Rosses Point and at Rosapenna, Co Donegal.
