Civic honour for golfer Noel

For many golfers, it is a struggle to qualify for the South of Ireland Golf Championship just once but one Ennis golfer has achieved record status, having competed there for 50 successive years.

 

At a special civic ceremony held in Ennis on Monday, Clare County Council bestowed its highest honour by recognising this momentous achievement by Noel Pyne.

A member, past captain and president of Lahinch and Ennis golf clubs, as well as a former Munster golf captain, Noel was honoured for his outstanding record in this competition.

Not only a fine golfer, Noel also turned his hand to hurling, playing for his local club Éire Óg, as well as being an intricate part of the county team which went on to contest the Munster final in 1967.
Mayor of Clare, Councillor Pat Daly, paid tribute to Noel’s latest achievement, commenting that it was a record that may never be rivalled. He also spoke of the long connection between the Dalys and the Pynes over the years.

Councillors Michael Hillary, Bill Slattery, Christy Curtin, James Breen and Pat McMahon shared in these good wishes and complimented Noel on all he has done for sport the past 50 years.

Speaking at the event on Monday, Noel said it was “a huge privilege to get an award like this”.

“This year was special and to have it recognised so much and by Clare County Council this evening is certainly the icing on the cake for my year,” he said.

He explained that he owed an awful lot to sport, having first met his wife Brigid on the sidelines at a hurling match.

“I was very lucky to play two sports, growing up, we learned our hurling in CBS national school and then before the Abbey Street car park was cleared, some might remember the lanes there, all the Pynes spent their time hurling in the back lanes. Then I got interested in golf because of my father, who was a Lissycasey man, somehow got interested in the golf and got good at it. He loved it and he got us all playing it. We enjoyed it, so we were playing both sports together. I enjoyed hurling, it was my first love and in the 1960s we had a lot of very good players; we were extremely strong. It was a pleasure to play in the Munster final in 1967 and I suppose my hurling career was cut a tiny bit short. I loved the hurling and I have many great memories and times with it.

“The golf started off in 1950s, when my father brought us up to Lahinch, and we got into the whole atmosphere of it. There is a great sense of good players there, there was great history there,” he said.

Noel said he was delighted to get his handicap down in 1963 to qualify for the South of Ireland Golf Championship but never thought 50 years later he would be still qualifying and competing.

He added that despite his longevity in the competition he has never won it but reminded those present that “it’s a very hard championship to win and Pádraig Harrington has never won it either”.

“Sport has been very, very good, not just to me but to all the Pyne family and it’s a great release for everyone. I note that Clare County Council realise the importance of sport, it has been very important in my life and I want to thank everyone who has been very supportive of me,” Noel concluded.

A presentation was made by the mayor to Noel and his wife at the conclusion of the ceremony in front of family, friends and members of Clare County Council.