Killaloe Ballina
From Murray to Moray Mania
There was once a time when the Killaloe Ballina Tennis Club was nothing more than a humble two-court outpost on the banks of the River Shannon. From two tarmacadam tennis courts, the place has transformed into a modern, multi-surface venue, with perhaps the most sophisticated indoor facility in Munster, if not Ireland.
The decision to expand and add more courts is very much in keeping with the natural progression of any tennis club. Playing numbers increase, demand rises, new courts and facilities become a necessity. This idea was particularly ambitious for the club who have spent 10 years dreaming of the opportunities that could be presented if they were able to develop the neighbouring piece of disused grassland into a state-of-the-art destination for all tennis enthusiasts.
Key facts
- 36.8m x 36.9m x 11m
- Cushioned acrylic US Open style surface
The client, John O’Brien explains, “It was kind of progressive thinking…- the notion to build indoor courts. Because at the time, there were no indoor courts in Munster, and even talking to the CEO of Tennis Ireland there about two weeks ago, he confirmed that we’re actually the only permanent structure outside of Dublin. So even today, if you want to find a permanent indoor structure, you either come here or you have to go to Dublin.”
At the time the idea was first conceived, KBTC was thriving. The club was home to a lot of promising junior members, many of them on the fringes of national squads. It also had some great coaches who had a hugely positive influence on plans and the members were in full support of expansion. There was a sense, amongst both young and old, that the future was bright, and hence, an appetite existed for more advanced facilities. After some initial pushback, Clare County Council eventually jumped on board, and from there, the project was launched into action.
Hurdles and interruptions were unexpected but inevitable to a certain extent. However, we pride ourselves on being flexible and dynamic so we can adapt quickly to unforeseen situations. No-one saw the major obstacle that was Covid coming. Ironically, it helped boost project funds. Membership numbers went up and revenue was good as tennis was one of the relatively few activities you could participate in that was deemed to be safe.
Additional fundraising and donations enabled the club to build its financial reserve, without which the project would have struggled to get off the ground. Bags of determination and conviction have brought us to this point where we can see the structure now standing proudly like a sporting monument above the canal bank.
What was once a small rural tennis club is now a thriving sporting institution as modern and futuristic as any to be found in Ireland.
