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Expanded group spins through Ireland, with stops in Portmarnock


Peter McCormick

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Former TurfNet Intern-in-Ireland Peter Braun and TurfNet Superintendent of the Year 2015, Matt Gourlay, CGCS, arrived in Dublin on Monday morning to spend a few casual days prior to the "official" pre-BTME visit to St. Andrews. After Jon Kiger and Tony Girardi "collected" them at the airport, the group headed south toward the town of Callan in County Kilkenny, in the Southeast of Ireland.

 

The first stop was to The Steppes Bar to meet up with Kiger's friend Eddie Kennedy, who looked after Peter Braun during his 2014 internship at nearby Mount Juliet Golf Club. They also toured a workhouse which was built in the early 1800's as a means of housing the destitute, and was filled to many times its projected capacity during the Irish Famine years.

 

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Tony Girardi, Matt Gourlay, Eddie Kennedy and Peter Braun outside Steppes.

 

After leaving Callan, they took the short drive to Kilkenny City, where they met up with Catherine Higgenbothem and her young son Ben for dinner. Catherine housed both Peter Braun and our 2013 intern Carson Letot so she was eager to learn about Peter's (and TurfNet's) activities since he was in the area for that summer.

 

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With Catherine Higgenbothem and squirmy son Ben, who hosted Peter Braun in 2014.

 

One can't visit Ireland without taking in some traditional Irish music, so the group wandered over to Cleere's Bar. Mick Walsh has hosted the music session at Cleere's every Monday night for almost 35 years.

 

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At Cleere's Bar, Matt Gourlay, Peter Braun (light blue), Eddie Kennedy and Tony Girardi enjoy the traditional Irish music session.

 

A short drive up the motorway Tuesday morning brought the TurfNet group back to County Dublin and the two courses in Portmarnock. Course manager Fintan Brennan, his son Mike and James Brennan (no relation) hosted the group at Portmarnock Links and showed off the winter season work on some of the 27 bunkers that will be renovated by the end of March.

 

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The group got a first-hand look at rebuilding revetted bunkers at Portmarnock LInks.

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At nearby Portmarnock Golf Club, course manager and friend-of-TurfNet Gary Johnstone jumped off his spray rig to show us around this classic course and clubhouse, which was built on the original Jameson estate. Both Portmarnock courses have been on the schedule during several TurfNet Members Trips to Ireland.

 

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Gary Johnstone explains the covered boom setup to Tony Girardi.

 

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The group stayed at the Portmarnock Links Hotel which positioned them well to easily revisit Gibney's Pub in the village of Malahide. That evening they met up with another long-time friend of TurfNet, Eddie Donlon, retired superintendent of nearby Rush Golf Club. Gibney's was TurfNet's social hub during the Ireland trips that included Dublin.

 

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Superintendents can learn as much from each other over a pint in a bar as they can in a seminar or on the golf course. Here, Tony Girardi (center) holds court with Matt Gourlay, Peter Braun, Gary Johnstone and Eddie Donlon at Gibney's Pub.

 

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Gary Johnstone, course manager at Portmarnock Golf Club, reconnects with retired superintendent Eddie Donlon.

 

Next up: Flight to Edinburgh and St. Andrews

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