‘Golfgate’ society all set to hit the fairways once again

THE Oireachtas Golf Society is set to return this summer for the first time since the Golfgate controversy.

The Irish Daily Mail understands that the society is set to play at Tulfarris Golf Club outside Blessington, Co. Wicklow, in July in its first outing in almost two years.

Members of the golf society confirmed to our sister paper The Irish Mail on Sunday earlier this year that they had no intention of winding up and planned to play in 2022.

In August 2020, the Oireachtas Golf Society sparked nationwide outrage when members attended a dinner in Clifden, Co. Galway in the midst of harsh lockdown restrictions. It led to several high-profile political casualties, including the resignation of then-agriculture minister Dara Calleary, and six coalition senators lost their party whips.

Fine Gael’s Phil Hogan resigned from his European commissioner post after facing a string of controversies following the dinner.

In February, Independent TD Noel Grealish and former Fianna Fáil senator Donie Cassidy were cleared of any wrongdoing by Galway District Court.