“My equation for a successful trip has always been vacation equals tennis. To me, tennis and Ireland were mutually exclusive – until I chatted with an Irish friend who knew better. He enchanted me with stories about tennis in the Emerald Isle, the deep and noble roots the sport had put down in the tender green sod, and the abundance of opportunity I would have to play there.”
— Wayne Kalyn, The New York Times, Sept. 6, 1981
On St. Patrick’s Day, it’s customary to wear something green, but we think it’s just well to play on something green. And for tennis players in Ireland, there’s no shortage of green lawn tennis courts to play on, some of which date back to the late 1800’s. If you’re daydreaming of travel, discover the history and beauty of these Irish tennis courts. Maybe if you’re lucky you’ll get to play on them one day!
Tennis Courts at Trinity College Dublin
College Green, Dublin
Founded in 1592, Trinity College is one of Britain’s oldest institutes for higher learning. The university’s tennis courts haven’t been around for quite as long, but they blend in beautifully with the campus’ ancient stone architecture.
Donnybrook Tennis Club
Brookvale Road, Dublin
Located in the heart of Dublin, Donnybrook was founded in 1893, but now has modern, artificial grass courts. While the club prides itself on its social tennis atmosphere, it has also hosted ITF and national tournaments.
Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club
Appian Way, Dublin
Established in 1877, Fitzwilliam is one of the oldest tennis clubs in the world. The modern facility has five artificial grass courts, four indoor acrylic courts and two clay courts. The club also offers a variety of other activities, including cricket, golf and massage.
Landsdowne Lawn Tennis Club
Landsdowne was founded in 1875 as the All Ireland Lawn Tennis Club. Joshua Pim, the champion of Wimbledon in 1893 and 1894 played on these courts, and now they are home to some of the best men’s and women’s leagues in the country.
Galway Lawn Tennis Club
Threadneedle Road, Galway
The Galway Lawn Tennis Club is a racket sport enthusiasts’ dream. In addition to its nine artificial grass courts, the club has six squash courts and seven badminton courts. It’s also a highly social club and has “club nights”, which include a variety of fun games on the tennis court.
Argideen Vale Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club
Ummera, Timoleague, Co. Cork
Originally located on the grounds of Timoleague Castle, Argideen Vale is the only all-grass tennis facility in Ireland. Although Argideen is a private club, it hosts four open tournaments a year for members and non-members, including a fundraiser event for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.
