Chapter:Mary Smyly: Some Thoughts on Garryhinch

... Looking back over many years of golf at Garryhinch I find that what I remember best are the people who "played the game" rather than the game itself, people who worked hard to make the club a successful and pleasant enterprise. George Love, with his violin, always ready to enliven a dull evening; and Nan, his wife, who held most of the offices in the Ladies Branch, contributed her skills at catering to many functions. Mrs. Lilian Hogan, another stalwart when it came to organising; Mrs. Peter Byrne, mother of Des Byrne, who sat all day long at a table taking the money at the marquee in which we used to do the catering for the Opening Meetings -and always brought a large box of sweets for the helpers. In these days the Ladies Committee did all the catering for the Open Meetings, providing an excellent cold lunch and, in the evening, taking turns at standing over the stove in the kitchen frying bacon, eggs and sausages. Quite a chore but all great fun.

One evening Tom Malone, who used to be in the Munster & Leinster Bank (now the Allied Irish) came to the kitchen door and asked for some hot water, and was given a cupful, he looked at it in surprise and said "Actually I wanted it for my feet"! Then there was Mrs. Cobbe, who lived near the Barrow Bridge, she didn't hit the ball very far but it was always in the right direction. Her niece. Elsie O'Donnell, Lily Rice, Una Bogue, Mavis Nagle, Billie Kelly, Pat Russell. ..all played their part on and off the golf Course and we all had many good times together. Winning the Barton Cup in 1950 was a terrific achievement for a small country club. I can still see Sir George Holden hitting a match-winnng shot to the 17th green which finished about three feet from the hole for two. George's wife, Betty, was another invaluable helper on all sorts of occasions. A great many of the members of my time are still, happily, enjoying their golf, and I am glad to have this opportunity to wish the club the very best for the future.

Mrs. P. C. Smyly The writer of the foregoing article, Mrs. P. C. Smyly, joined the club in 1943. Wife of Dr. P. C. Smyly, formerly of Austen House, Main Street, Portarlington, she was born in County Wexford. She was Captain in 1952 and was quite an accomplished golfer, reaching 8 handicap. Her most abiding memory of golf at Portarlington -"I still. have an occasional nightmare about the 3rd hole -where for the best part of a season I hit my tee shot into the wood on the right". Her favourite course is Carlow.