2024 Leinster Charity Golf Outing at The K Club
What a great day on a great golf course! The 9th IRFU Charitable Trust Leinster Charity Golf Outing, kindly sponsored by our Golf Partner Pinergy, took place for the first time on the stunning K Club Palmer South course on Friday 27th September 2024. The course was in immaculate condition and many golfers commented on how fantastic it was to play the second of the Arnold Palmer designed courses in The K Club. We were also very lucky with the weather considering the previous day saw monsoon rain descend in Straffan but the four balls on Friday were blessed with the odd drizzle to keep everyone cool as they made their way around the challenging course. A very big thank you to The K Club and all the staff, in particular Brendan Mackey, all of whom helped to make the day very special. The K Club’s generosity and unwavering support for the event is very much appreciated.
The day teed off with a breakfast bap and tea/coffee for all golfers in the upstairs South Restaurant with beautiful views of the 18th green and surrounds; with Brid Berkeley from the Trust iniviting golfers to view the Silent Auction Lots. Once golfers completed their registration they were treated to “a very heavy” goody bag packed full of goodies very kindly sponsored by a number of generous supporters to the IRFU Charitable Trust. With a shotgun start at 1pm, golfers made their way to their starting hole to commence their round. Thank you to all the captains and teams who played on the day – your ongoing support is greatly appreciated by all 36 of our seriously injured rugby players and their families.
Thank you also to our media partner for the event, Business Plus, and in particular Rebecca and Barry who joined us in the morning to speak with golfers, sponsors, supporters and family. Please take the time to listen to their filmed interviews created by Business Plus on this page. Our Video Partner, Get Broadcasting, was also with us on the day filming the entirety of the event – please take the time to view the video on this page. Thank you as always to Nirina and Aidan for their support and best of luck Aidan in your new role!
25 teams struck their first ball at 1pm with the majority of teams taking 5 hours to complete the course; and once completed were delighted to be treated to a drinks reception including wine, Guinness and Carlsberg, kindly sponsored by our Drinks Partner Diageo. A gourmet BBQ in the elegant Legacy Suite followed which went down extremely well after five hours on the course. Our MC for the evening’s entertainment was our very good friend Nigel Osborne who introduced the IRFU Charitable Trust Chair, Michael Whelan to the stage to welcome all guests and in particular to thank our long-standing Golf Partner and Corporate FRIEND Pinergy for their sponsorship and indeed their friendship. Special thanks to Emma and David in Pinergy as well as CEO Enda Gunnell who was invited to the stage by Michael to say a few words as to why Pinergy are so supportive of Irish Rugby and the IRFU Charitable Trust in giving back to those who have left more on the field. Michael also thanked The K Club in particular for their kindness and commitment to our cause, in particular Paul Heery and Michael Fetherston, and spoke about the inaugural IRFU Charitable Trust “Irish Rugby 150th Golf Cup” happening next year which we will expand on below.
Linda Black, Head of Operations for the IRFU Charitable Trust took to the stage to thank all our event sponsors and contributors, including Business Plus, Get Broadcasting and a big thank you to another Corporate FRIEND and long term supporter to the Trust, Cleaning Contractors, who not only took a team but also sponsored the Longest Drives. Thank you to Ciaran O’Brien in particular for your ongoing support. In addition, thank you to Intersport Elverys for sponsoring the second prize and Tulfarris Hotel & Golf Resort for sponsoring the third prize. Many thanks as well to the many contributors to the Goody Bag, Raffle Prizes and Silent Auction Lots – all of which you can view on the Table Card shown on this page. And finally, thank you to all our Tee Sponsors for their sponsorship and ongoing support – a list of which can also be seen on the Table Card; with a special note of thanks to Robert Deacon for arriving at Palmer South in the wee hours of Friday morning to get out on the course with Marc Sheridan to place all the Tee Signs.
Following the BBQ Nigel Osborne invited our special guests, and late substitutes for the Q&A – Mick Galwey, hosting the Killester Travel Team, and Luke Fitzgerald, who was part of the ING Team. Josh van der Flier and Ryan Baird were hoping to join us but were busy with their match in the Aviva that night! Thank you to Luke, Mick and of course Nigel for a highly entertaining Q&A with one of the hot topics: “who will captain the Lions” with a certain son of a certain coach being mentioned as a potential candidate! As one person commented: “Colleen Farrell will be participating in the Rugby Rowers Three-In-A-Row World Record attempt tomorrow – maybe ask her if Owen is on for it!” On that note, along with Colleen, nine other ladies and nineteen men, including Nigel Osborne – 29 Rugby Rowers in total – did indeed beat the current World Record to make it Three-In-A-Row. To read up about this incredible achievement, once again in aid of seriously injured rugby players and their families, please click here.
A very special guest was in attendance for the evening activities – seriously injured player Garrett Culliton. As you will see in the Business Plus video mentioned above, Brian Culliton, as well as Ronnie Culliton, both brothers to Garrett, were also there on the day, fielding a four ball each with their company Foresthill Financial Planning. Garrett spoke with Nigel and gave everyone present an insight in to how the incredible support from the rugby community helped him to achieve his dreams of becoming a Paralympian – highlighting the importance of events like the Leinster Charity Golf Outing in terms of raising awareness and funds for those who have been seriously injured playing the game of rugby. Thank you Garrett for being there and taking the time to speak with us all.
The prize giving quickly ensued with the Nearest the Pinergys going to Andrew on the Aon Team for the Front 9 and Shane on the Back 9. The Longest Drives, kindly sponsored by Cleaning Contractors was won by Rory on the PML Group Team and Vincent on the Vodafone 2 Team. Congratulations to you all! To the top three! The aforementioned Vodafone 2 Team picked up the Third Prize of four x four balls to Tulfarris Hotel & Golf Resort; 2nd place went to Dillon Eustace winning four excellent Titleist Cart Bags kindly sponsored by Intersport Elverys. And the 1st prize went to Custom Electronics – with the Garmin Approach GPS watches kindly sponsored by Pinergy. The top three scores were incredibly close with fractions in the difference.
As mentioned above, Custom Electronics will now join the winning Teams from the other three Provincial Charity Golf Outings at the IRFU Charitable Trust “Irish Rugby 150th Golf Cup” tournament which will take place Friday 6th June 2025 on The K Club’s Palmer North Championship course – only a few months before The K Club host the Irish Open! Next year will be the first year of the 150th Golf Cup coinciding with Irish Rugby’s 150 years anniversary celebrations. The 2025 Golf Cup will take place in Leinster and will then be hosted by a different province each year creating a bit more interprovincial competition!
The Raffle followed the prize giving and a very special thank you to Hilary Sheridan for volunteering for the day, but in particular for running the Raffle which is always a favourite amongst guests. Thank you to volunteer Jeanette Pierobon for helping with the Raffle as well. There were nearly 30 raffle prizes distributed including an Aldi €500 voucher and lots of four balls including The K Club Palmer South. Again, thank you to everyone who contributed to the Raffle. All that remained was for Marc Sheridan, Head of Communications for the IRFU Charitable Trust, to call out the current bids on the Silent Auction Lots which triggered a number of guests to place their final bids for the seven Lots including a framed Ireland Jersey signed by the 2024 Guinness Six Nations Champions! Thank you to everyone who generously bid and we hope you enjoy your prizes.
The Trust would like to take this opportunity to once again thank our Golf Partner Pinergy for their continued compassion and commitment to the IRFU Charitable Trust in not only sponsoring the Leinster Charity Golf Outing, but also for sponsoring the Connacht and Munster Charity Golf Outings as well.
Given the spectacular and highly anticipated setting for the 2025 Leinster Charity Golf Outing on The K Club North Palmer course, as well as the added excitement of the 150th Cup, we expect a sell-out for the 2025 Leinster Charity Golf Outing hence please book early to avoid disappointment by contacting Linda Black by email: linda.black@irfu.ie. The cost per four-ball is yet to be announced but please express your interest so Linda can ensure your team is booked.
Thank you for your support.
