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SEP 22 2022
TUAMGRANEY SHOWS KHAN-DO ATTITUDE
Stage set at Dromoland PÁRAIC McMAHON
paraic@clareecho.ie
C
l The Aga Khan trophy in Tuamgraney where Michael Blake received a hero’s welcome Photo by Ruth Griffin
LARE IS gearing up for a major sporting event to commence as The KPMG Women’s Irish Open tees off. More than 25,000 spectators are expected to attend the first Women’s Irish Open since 2012 and it will be held on Dromoland Castle’s eighteen hole championship course. Ennis native Aideen Walsh will fly the Clare flag while Leona Maguire, one of the top female golfers on the planet, is ranked as the favourite to claim the silverware. RTÉ and Sky Sports will broadcast live from Newmarketon-Fergus for the four day event. By the conclusion of the action on Sunday, it is expected
that organisers will announce Dromoland Castle and Country Club as the venue for the Women’s Irish Open for 2023. The Clare Echo understands that it is also in line to host the tournament in 2024. A history of excelling when it comes to hosting golf tournaments has been evident in the county, Chief Executive of Clare County Council, Pat Dowling said in reference to the 2019 Irish Open in Lahinch. “We’re good at hosting golf tournaments as we’ve shown in Lahinch. We’ve worked with Dromoland to host the event successfully”. Ne wmarket-on-Fergus representative, Cllr Pat McMahon (FF) labelled the tournament as “a momentous occasion”. He commented, “I am hopeful surrounding villages and the county will benefit in huge way”. Full story pg 8 & 30