€7 million ace for Baltray
Huge boost for local economy as Irish Open to return to Baltray links
Friday January 02 2009
THE local economy could be looking at a boost of at least € 7m in 2009 as County Louth Golf Club, or Baltray as it is more popularly known, is once again to play host to the Irish Open on May 14th to 17th next year.
The club was the setting for the tournament five years ago, when almost 80,000 spectators descended on the picturesque seaside course, providing an enormous tourism and economic benefit to the local community.
Alison Condra is the Tourism Officer for Louth County Council and, although reluctant to comment until an official announcement is made, she said this would again be a massive boost to golf in the area.
‘It would be an accommodation bonanza, really wonderful,’ she said.
‘With an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 visitors per day, which is a conservative estimate considering the additional prize money, I would say the tournament will bring about € 7m to the local economy.’
‘As secretary-manager Michael Delaney will tell you, the benefit for the profile for Baltray and for neighbouring Seapoint was also immense the last time it was held in 2004, and it is just what the region and the economy needs in these times of gloom and doom.’
She commented how well Louth County Council worked together to organise Ireland’s most prestigious golfing event, and would be wellplaced to run it smoothly once more.
If past experience is anything to go by, all of the accommodation in the area will again be totally booked out and a bumper time will be expected for pubs, restaurants and retailers in Drogheda and Dundalk.
Yesterday, incoming men’s captain for 2009, Jim McMahon, acknowledged that County Louth was in the running but otherwise declined to say anything, while the club’s secretary/manager Michael Delany was unavailable for comment.
It was reported in early December that Mount Juliet in Kilkenny rejected the offer to hold it there due to ‘contractual obligations’ and two other strong contenders for the venue, former hosts Carton House in Kildare and Adare Manor in Limerick were last week ruled out. This paved the way for a return to the east coast, and a second trip for some of the world’s top golfers to our region.
- ALISON COMYN
