The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
2019 Irish Open host Paul McGinley is heaping praise on the local community and the local authority for the works undertaken to get Lahinch ready for this week’s historic event.
With the eyes of the sporting world set to fall on Clare over the next few days, a huge programme of works have seen the village and its environs undergo a major face-lift in preparation for the spotlight to come.
Some of these including works on the main promenade in Lahinch along with works to improve the approach roads to the area and painting of buildings.
McGinley joked: “Someone said to me at the airport that if a dog sat down for five minutes he would have been painted because there were so many things been painted so the whole engagement from the local community has been tremendous and we really appreciate that”.
The Dublin native has a long tradition with Lahinch and is proud of how the event is shaping up with everything now in place.
“The things that surprised and humbled me and made the biggest impression of me is how the locals have embraced it and engaged with it. To be on the verge of a sellout is quite extraordinary considering that the Open is on in two weeks time. The corporate engagement has been very strong too and the all corporate tickets are sold and the same with my Foundation. I have 50 guest every day paying a high premium to come into my shebeen and be entertained and they are paying a high premium so that we leave some local money in the community. It has been great how people have bought in on so many levels and that is the thing that makes me happiest of all, is that fact that people want to support this and they have. Look at what the County Council and the Gardai have done. I spoke to them at one of the first meetings and they promised me everything and they have delivered” he said.
