Our Club History

Irvinestown Lawn Tennis Club

In 1991 John Maguire and Michael Duffy took stock of the tennis situation in Fermanagh and a look at their own future in the game. They recognised that they had a lot of enjoyment and camaraderie out of playing the game of tennis over the years. They wanted to share their love of the game with others. While reluctant to leave Enniskillen Tennis Club and the friends they had made there, both realised they had a game to offer the people of North Fermanagh.

By establishing a club in Irvinestown they felt they could spread the playing of the game in the county and provide to solid bases. They foresaw inter club tennis competitions and friendly nights for those who did not want to play Western League tennis could enjoy themselves.

With the help of Liam McMulkin another Forthill Park resident, Irvinestown Lawn Tennis Club was officially opened on Monday 22^nd July 1991 and play started at the tennis courts hired from St. Marys School. Tennis was played well into the Autumn.

Over the winter period new members where drafted into the fledging club. The first team to represent Irvinestown Lawn Tennis Club in 1992 Western League competition was: John Maguire, Michael Duffy, John Carleton, Michael Devanney, Andrea Maguire, Breege McCusker, Liz McCaldin and Rosin Kelly.

At the AGM in 1992 club sectary John Maguire expressed his delight with the performance of the team in the first year of competitive tennis and was happy to report that the new club had run a successful Open Tournament with over 120 entries. Already the emphasis was on junior couching with five girls – Maeve McCusker, Ydele Steels, Joanna McCaldin, Colleen Rooney and Roberta Hamilton being selected to go forward to the North West Development Squad.

The election of Officers was as follows: President- Seamus McCusker, Chairman-Liam McMulkin, Secretary-John Maguire, Treasurer- Michael Duffy, Committee Members- Rosemary Valentine, Dermot McCann, Pete Keogh, Shirley Steele, Kate Heaver, Siobhan Allister, Nola Rooney and Breege McCusker.

With some members already travelling to other venues with junior competitions it was seen that the only way to proceed was for the club to get involved in a coaching strategy. The old way of hitting the ball would no longer suffice. New skills had to be learned to carry youngsters into the next millennium.

Invitations were extended to Roger Geraghty, Tennis Ireland National Development officer and Jim Watt Ulster Branch Tennis Development office, to visit the club to outline a development plan for coaching.

In 1994 led by Seamus Mc Cusker an ambitious and energetic Management committee applied to the lottery for funding to build our own courts. On a wasteland site at the Bawnacre Centre, with much forward planning and determined work by Seamus the funds were awarded and with full backing from the officers of Fermanagh District Council the courts were layed in 1996 and this became our new home.

With a high increase in membership the committee saw the need for better facilities, so it was agreed to go back to the lottery and apply for extra funding to build our own club house. This again was granted and by 1998 the Pavilion as we now know it was built.

Since then the Club has went from strength to strength to where we are today with many titles on the court coming our way throughout the years and the added bonus of club members Maeve Mc Cusker & John Maguire representing Ulster at inter -pro level.