After 24 years of business, the Dillon Family have announced that they will be closing Delvin Castle Golf Club on Saturday 31st December 2016.

Established in 1992, the course has given many hundreds of members and visitors, many hours of pleasure over the years. However, in the opinion of the owners, the operation has ceased being a viable business and their attempts to realise profit have all failed. On this basis, they have concluded that permanent closure is the only option for the club.

An anonymous source has indicated that attempts to earn a reprieve pending campaigns to increase membership, and other suggestions for leasing or even selling the course, have all been rejected.

While one can understand the frustration of the owners and their reluctance to invest any more of their own money in what they perceive to be a doomed business, it is such a pity that a cherished local amenity will instead be irreversibly cordoned off, providing no value or enjoyment to the community that surrounds it.

We can only hope that a change of heart will follow allowing a more creative response to the current situation. But let’s not hold our breath.