By Kathrin Kobus
Photographs: Kathrin Kobus.
The picturesque Elm Park Golf Club lies between the N11 and Merrion Road at Nutley Lane. It is a large oasis of calmness comprising 100 acres between the two busy roads.
Trees wall off the traffic noise so that one can easily forget it is in the midst of the city. The largest tree is not an elm, by the way, but a Californian Redwood that stands close to the clubhouse, together with a Cypress-pine.
On the first Tuesday in July, 172 amateur golfers took to the green for a good cause. The Friends of the Royal Hospital Donnybrook come together annually for their charity golf event.
NewsFour spoke with Brendan Lynch, board member of the Friends group and in charge of the golf outing. “It was actually Brendan MacDonald who had started this event, 27 years ago. I only took over last year. Last year we raised nearly €40,000 which went towards the purchase of the new Andago rehab machine (a robotic walking guide) the first in Ireland.”
The Friends of the Royal Hospital group has been registered as a charitable company since 1989. The main goal from year to year is to raise funds for research, patient care and capital projects designated by the hospital. The company has provided more than €4 million in financing for these. The golf tournament in July and the evening’s gala dinner was a sellout once again on a very hot summer day. Early bird golfers, in groups of four, started pre-lunch on the 18-hole course.
NewsFour caught up with one quartet slowly making their way back to the mansion clubhouse at around lunchtime. “You can go fishing here as well, of course,“ said one of them, Pat Grant, who paused for a moment before adding, “for golf balls, that is.” Then he smiled and carried on.
Brendan Lynch himself was looking forward to getting out putting on the green in the afternoon. “The golf itself is a great day out, plus the dinner in the evening with the silent auction and the raffle prizes. All our participants have different levels of golfing ability, from hopeful to expert. Firstly it is all about raising money for a good cause.”
This year €35,000 came together from the golfers’ fees, raffle tickets and auction. It will not go straight to the Royal Hospital coffers, though. “Our treasury looks after it, not just from this event, but other activities. Money raised from our fundraising events supports the Hospital’s vital work by helping it to carry out research, ensuring excellent patient care, funding capital projects such as upgrading wards and developing new services.”
The next big event is already in the planning. After the hot summer holidays, invitations will soon be issued for Culture Night in the concert hall of the Royal Hospital Donnybrook on October 11th. For more details about the Friends of the Royal Hospital check their website friendsofrhd.ie.
