Royal Tara to host major national competitions in 2013

Royal Tara Golf Club at Bellinter, outside Navan, has been selected to host the national finals of the 2013 junior and senior cup and shield finals, the most prestigious competitions in amateur golf in Ireland. Preparations are well underway at the magnificent parkland golf course at the foot of the historic Hill of Tara for the equally historic event for the club, which will take place in September 2013. The selection of Royal Tara Golf Club for this event comes in the wake of a successful hosting of the AA Ladies' Championship finals in 2009 at the Bellinter course. It is the first time that Royal Tara has been honoured with the hosting of the GUI finals, the Senior Cup, Junior Cup, Barton Shield, Jimmy Bruen Shield and Pierce Purcell Shield. A three-year programme of development is underway to prepare the course for these finals, with landscaping and the addition of extra features and many more improvements. The competitions involve the semi-finals and finals of the cups and shields, with teams representing clubs from each province in each competition. The competitions and practice sessions will take place over a week in the area and are sure to bring numerous visitors to the area. It will be an exciting time for the club which celebrated its centenary in 2006 and which originated at Balreask Old in Navan before moving to Bellinter in 1923, where it was originally known as Bellinter Park Golf Club. The club now boasts a 27-hole mature golf complex set in rolling parkland. The course was extended from nine to 13 holes in 1966, and to 18 holes in 1969. The new course was designed by renowned professional Des Smyth and was officially opened for play in 1995. The turn of the millennium saw the opening of the new clubhouse. Royal Tara has also been celebrating some notable appointments of late - member John McGrath was elected to the committee of the Leinster Branch of the Golfing Union of Ireland, the first representative of the club since the late Joe Furlong. Lucia Farrell has been elected secretary of the East Region of the Irish Ladies Golfing Union. The past year has also been a noteworthy one for Dom O'Brien who won captain's (Paul Brady) prize for the first time, capping a remarkable association with Royal Tara which saw him retiring as competitions secretary after three decades of unbroken service as competitions and handicap secretary, captain and president. He added the captain's prize to his various successes with Skryne and Meath GAA, and Kilmessan hurling and tennis clubs, and it capped over 40 years of playing golf at Bellinter. O'Brien also has another remarkable achievement to his name - he has played golf in every county in Ireland, at 231 golf courses. The present captain at Royal Tara is Padraig Hoey, with lady captain Deirdre Byrne, men's president Tom O'Connell and lady president Margot Martin. The club also has a very successful junior section. The clubhouse, overlooking the greens and parkland, features an award-winning restaurant Membership vacancies now exist at Royal Tara and the club will host a special membership information day on Saturday 5th March from 1.0 to 4.0 Beginners are especially welcome and special terms are on offer.