Pitch & Putt IrelandCunnigar: In Profile
John Manning takes a look at this weekend's National Gents Strokeplay hosts
Dungarvan is a seaside resort town and harbour on the south coast of Ireland in the province of Munster. Dungarvan is the county town and administrative centre of County Waterford. The town's Irish name means "Garbhan's fort", referring to Saint Garbhan who founded a church there in the seventh century. The town lies on the N25 road (European route E30), which connects Cork, Waterford and Rosslare Europort. Dungarvan has a magnificent 18 hole Championship Pitch and Putt course, 900 metres in length, set in the picturesque surrounds of Dungarvan Bay - Cunnigar. The weather can be huge factor in playing Cunnigar. The coastal winds can play havoc, particularly on the long treacherous 18th hole.
The Cunnigar is a beautiful three kilometre long stretch of sandy beach land that juts out into Dungarvan bay like a pointed finger. The name Cunnigar is the Irish translation for rabbit warren. The first golf course in Dungarvan was situated on the Cunnigar. Coastal erosion eventually put paid to that. Cunnigar Pitch and Putt club was built on wasteland across the bay from the Cunnigar stretch of beach land. The club officially opened its gates on 15th June 1990. It was the brainchild of Councillor Paddy Power, Chairperson of Dungarvan Urban Council. The modern day course boasts beautiful tee boxes with wide gravel surrounds. The course address is Ringnasillogue, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford.
In the wind and rain in August 1999, the Navan B team of John Meade, Paul Cregan, Tony Maher and Peter Kearney won the 35th National Club Tournament, sponsored by Sean and Kitty Breen. Navan finished on +11 for the 36 holes and won by just the minimum margin of one shot from favourites and halfway leaders, Loughlinstown. Hosts Cunnigar, the early clubhouse leaders, were third on +8. Both Cunnigar Foursomes combinations returned Level. In the singles, Tony Landers and Pat Tutty both produced 3 up, Paddy Street was round in 2 up while Brendan O'Brien finished Level.
The Navan winning total of 11up was the lowest in the tournament's 35 year history, a product of the awful weather conditions. One doubts that this bothered the men from Navan, the first team from the Royal County to win the P.P.U.I.'s National Club Tournament
National Ladies Strokeplay Championships
at Cunnigar, July 10-11th2010
SENIOR
147 Geraldine Ward (Portmarnock) 50, 48, 49
157 Tracey McGrath (Erry)
158 Margaret Hogan (Tullamore)
INTERMEDIATE
174 Bernie Somers (Cloghogue) 58, 57, 59
176 Donna Cockwell (Cunnigar) 63, 55, 58
176 Kathleen Carton (Kilbeggan) 60, 57, 59
JUNIOR
187 Mary O'Neill (Cunnigar)
191 Corinne McGee (Cunnigar)
193 Jacinta Nugent (Tipp Hills)
National Mixed Team Event Final at Cunnigar, 12 June 2011
1. Cunnigar C 158 points
(Martin Hayes, Lorraine Troy, Paddy Noonan, Mary O'Neill)
2. Fermoy 157 points (o.b.n.)
(Anthony Cody, Kim Quirke, Damien Burke, Sharon Bowes)
3. Cunnigar 157 points (o.b.n.)
(John Charles, Stella Kinsella, Pat Healy, Jacinta O'Mahony)
Best Gross: R.G.S.C. 128 points
(Junior Smith, Carol Tracey, Gerry Tracey, Siobhan Keely)
Munster Juvenile Strokeplay Championships, at Cunnigar , August 8th 1998
Boys
1. Colin Houlihan (Cunnigar) 97
2. R. O’Donoghue (Douglas) 98
Girls
1. Hazel Hanrahan (Fermoy) 110
2. Linda Milward (Fermoy) 127
MUNSTER MATCHPLAY CHAMPIONSHIPS
at Cunnigar (Dungarvan), July 21-22 2001
Ladies
Semi-finals: Lily Carroll (Lakewood) beat Julieanne Broderick (Castleisland) 1 hole; Claire Murphy (E.S.B.) beat Josie Coughlan (Ashgrove) at 38th.
Final: Lily Carroll beat Claire Murphy 2&1.
Men's
Semi-finals: John Carroll (Cunnigar) beat Billy Farrell (Bruff) 13&12; Derry McCarthy (Deerpark) beat James Cleary (Hillview) 7&6.
Final: John Carroll beat Derry McCarthy 3&2.
Munster Inter County Championships at Cunnigar, August 10th 2003
Mens Championship.
1. Cork 374 (Frank O'Donoghue 91, Kieran Dunscombe 93, Ray Murphy 95, Chris Scannell 95, Frank Dineen 102).
2. Tipperary 386 (John O'Meara 95, Paul O'Brien 96, Noel Joyce 96, James Cleary 99, Brian Webster 106)
Ladies Championship
1. Cork 423 (Siobhan Scannell 103, Mary Daly 105, Claire O'Flynn 107, Ann Daly 108, Vera McCarthy 109)
2. Waterford 445 (Nellie Sullivan 108, Cecily Walsh 109, Josie Coughlan 111, June Walsh 117, Donna Cockwell 137)
Juvenile Championship.
1. Waterford 408 (David Buckley 98, Christopher Murray 101, Barry Hamilton 102, Declan King 107, Michael Buckley 112).
2. Cork 409 (Ian Bermingham 98, Damien Burke 102, Olan Aherne 104, Darren Quirke 105, Ian Freyne 108).
Munster Inter County Championships at Cunnigar, July 30th 2006
Men's Championship.
1. Cork 438 (John Walsh, Gary O'Sullivan, Ray Murphy, Kieran Dunscombe, John Cahill. Paudie O'Sullivan)
2. Tipperary 453 (Brian Webster, Paul O'Brien, Sean Minogue, Noel Joyce, David White, James Cleary)
Ladies Championship
1. Cork 503 (Siobhan Scannell, Vera McCarthy, Linda Murphy, Mary Murphy, Claire O'Flynn, Ann Daly)
2. Tipperary 555 (Margaret Clear, Lily O'Brien, Bridget Shelley, Catherine Dunne, Ann Fitzgerald, Louise Creed)
Juvenile Championship.
1. Cork 499 (Daniel Keohane, Daniel Quirke, Darren Quirke, Chris O'Sullivan, Roy Gallagher, Timothy Mawe).
2. Tipperary 511 (Martha O’Brien, Michelle McCarthy, Shane Hoare, Stephen Shoer, Alan Brannigan, Christopher Hickey).
Munster Juvenile Strokeplay Championships, at Cunnigar, July 29th 2006
Boys (18 holes due to weather)
1. Shane Hoare (Larkspur Park)
2. Darren Goodall (Tralee)
Girls (18 holes)
1. Michelle McCarthy (Hillview)
2. Sonia Quirke (Fermoy)
MUNSTER MIXED FOURSOMES
at Cunnigar, August 30th 2009
1. Cait Mulcahy & Thomas Maher (Cunnigar) + 19
2. Breda O’Donnell & John O’Shea (Cunnigar) +17
Best Gross: Sharon Bowes & Damian Burke (Fermoy) +14
Munster Ladies Strokeplay Championships at Cunnigar 14 July 2013
Senior – 1. Breda Lonergan (Tipperary Hille) 106; 2. Eleanor Walsh (Fermoy) 108; 3. Sharon Bowes (Fermoy) 112.
Intermediate – 1. Sarah Byrne (Fermoy) 116; 2. Mary Quinn (Lakeside) 117; 3. Mary Murray (Rocklodge) 119.
Junior – 1. Lorraine Troy (Cunnigar) 114; 2. Breda O'Donnell (Cunnigar) 117; 3. Caroline English (Tramore) 122.
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