Fort Aenghus committee show off grand Padel plans to redevelop dormant club
Padel is the new game taking Ireland by storm, and a small but successful Tipperary tennis club is planning to lead the way in bringing it to Tipperary, in the same way they brought tennis to their rural community nearly half a century ago.
Similar to tennis, Padel utilises a smaller court, but crucially side and back walls, to give its competitors a fat paced, energetic workout, while also being a very social game, generally played in doubles. And that’s what the hard-working ambitious committee at Fort Aenghus tennis club wants to showcase.
The club once bustled throughout the evenings with players from around the Rosegreen, New Inn, Golden areas, producing some excellent players, but went into a hiatus when the newer style combi courts took over from the concrete offered at the Racecourse.
The nearby club in Cashel, Larkspur Park did some huge development in recent years, and are now one of the top clubs in Munster, but that left Fort Aenghus in a quandary, to either innovate or disappear. And disappearing wasn’t an option.
So, instead they employed former top level tennis player Robert Cummins to come up with an idea, and he came back to them with the idea of Padel courts. Smaller than traditional tennis courts, the club hopes to fit three covered courts, which will cater for up to 12 people at a time.
It will also give players in Cashel and New Inn the option to play a different game, but still support Fort Aenghus. And last Thursday evening, at the clubhouse, the committee had an information night where they showed off their plans prior to seeking planning permission for redevelopment at the club.
Once permission is given, they will then pursue a fundraising effort, and will no doubt be successful in this, given their past record of determination when they have a task that needs to be completed.
We wish them all the best.