Rosapenna has been a home from home for the TJ Society
JAMES McCourt’s idea of a combined family and golfing holiday in Rosapenna set the wheels in motion for the formation of the TJ society, one of the oldest, if not the oldest, in Dundalk.
James who ran the family pub at Francis Street in town suggested to friends Joe Molloy, Johnny Duffy and Noel McKenna bringing the families to Donegal and throwing in golf.
That was in 1972 and all these years later Joe Molloy is still returning to the Forgotten County with family and on the annual trip with the TJ Society, with his own offspring having fallen as much in love with it as their parents, and like their parents bringing their own families to experience the joys and beauty.
Tom Hughes, Tom Ward, Oliver Morton, Dermot Browne and Tom Hanrahan joined the group the next year back to Rosapenna when the name of the society was born. It was made up of the first letter of the Christian name of four of the golfers, Tom Hughes, Tom Ward, Joe Molloy and Johnny Duffy. The latter sadly passed away in 2016. Oliver Morton won the outing after a play-off with Joe Molloy.
The following year the Big Four plus Oliver Morton at the invitation of Dundalk native Gerry O’Neill headed off to Wales. Wales was the destination for the trip for five years from 1974. The same five players travelled for four of those years. Gerry from Mary Street North was a school pal of Tom Hughes who was from virtually up the street in Seatown.
Gerry left town at an early age and became a successful businessman and learned to play golf and a most proficient player at that playing off three. He displayed his prowess, winning in 1974, 1976 and 1977, with Tom Hughes breaking his dominance in 1975.
The group played a number of courses, including Phewelli, Nephin, Harleck, Abersoch, and Portmadoc during the Welsh phase of the society’s history before settling for home soil and Donegal.
The last trip to North Wales was in 1978, with Brian Ward and Brian Farrell going along, and Brian Farrell emerged as the winner,
The group headed to Bundoran in 1981, with a few more newcomers in Pa McGee, Don Keating and Noel Tumilty. They stayed in the Great Northern Hotel. Johnny Duffy made the podium this year.
They based the trip in Bundoran for the following three years, with the travelling party increasing each year. Davy Lawrence, Owen Gray, Billy Curtis, Joe Mulholland and Pat Lynch made their bow in 1982 as Brian Farrell recorded the first of back to back wins.
Pat Lynch made his mark on the entertainment front and provided great pleasure and companionship over the next seven years.
The party grew to 18 in 1983 with Joe Fergus, Paddy Whyte, Larry Witherow, Pearse Kane, Tony Gorham and Eddie Maguire linking up for the trip when another main ingredient for those travelling, the nightly entertainment and craic, was established. They had their own accompanist in Gerry Hughes. A team competition was also introduced.
Three more newcomers, Brendan Cleary, along with Vincent Cunningham and Jim Burns, travelled in 1984 when Billy Curtis was a very popular victor. A novelty indoor putting competition, sponsored by Pat Lynch, was introduced.
The group spent a couple of years in Westport followed by a sizzling time in Ballybofey in 1987 where weather wise the party enjoyed their best year ever only for two of the members Paddy White and Barney Farrell to end up in hospital from a scorching by the sun.
The late Oliver Brannigan accompanied the group for the one and only year in 1985 for the trip to Westport when he was one of six more debutants. The others were Tommy Murphy, Rory Hall, Tom Corcoran, Michael Marmion, Paddy English and Brian Murphy. Tommy on his first attempt won the event from a field of 28.
Twenty eight again made the journey to Westport in 1986, with Dubs Paddy Byrne and Stephen O’Toole, along with Brendan Reilly and Jim McAllister initiated on this trip. Rain, sleet and wind caused play to be abandoned on the Wednesday morning but cleared up in the afternoon for Joe Fergus to shoot 38 points and snatch victory from Tom Ward.
The society were made feel really at home in Ballybofey/Stranorlar in 1987—given the keys even to lock up, in what was probably the best overall outing in their history. A few innovations were introduced, including a scramble competition, eclectic prize and a table quiz. Gerry O’Neill made it a hat-trick of wins.
Johnny Wiseman, Willy Molloy and new musical director and accompanist Paddy Doherty made their first trip. A new competition in memory of Oliver Brannigan was played in October in Greenore with the perpetual trophy, kindly donated by the deceased’s wife Sheila, won by Joe Fergus.
A last minute switch took place in 1988 due to repairs to the course at Ballybofey. The society returned to Bundoran, with the final 18 holes played over the Murvagh (Donegal) links where Tony Gorham was victorious, with Brian Ward winning the Oliver Brannigan Trophy in October. Dan Prenty, Jackie Gore, Gerry O’Hare and ‘Gussy’ Goss made the trip for the first time, and the Marmion and Reilly trophy was presented for the best nines.
Tragedy struck the next year when a then record number of 37 drove to Bundoran on a beautiful spring Sunday morning only in the early hours of the Tuesday morning one of the most popular members Pat Lynch died suddenly .
It was the first time Kieran Clarke, Ken Marmion, Vincent Tuite and Jed O’Neill travelled with the society. The society to a man paid a final tribute to Pat when he was laid to rest. Vincent Cunningham won the Oliver Brannigan Trophy when it was played for in
November.
It was with heavy hearts the society returned to Bundoran the following April, but a most competitive and enjoyable outing ensued which was won by Joe Fergus with a record total of 118 points. Joe Mulholland took the Oliver Brannigan trophy staged in October.
It was back to where it all began in Rosapenna in 1991, and there the outing has been played since. A wonderful five days of golf and entertainment was shared by all, with Gene Kirk, Liam Leatham, Sean O’Sullivan, Jim Rogers and Pat Lavery joining the group and the Oliver Brannigan Trophy was incorporated into the outing for the first time. Newcomer Sean O’ Sullivan was the winner of the trophy, with Tom Ward on his 16th attempt the overall winner. A sign of the passing years a veteran’s prize was introduced.
The society came of age the next year, and a “This is Your Life “book was compiled. New and old faces mingled together for this year’s outing. Oliver Norton returned after a lapse of 14 years, and Gerry O’Neill and his son Jed for the first time since the ill fated outing in 1989.
Eamon Carroll, Brendan Mullen, Marius McLoughlin, Owen McGailey, David Neary, Anthony Humpston and Michael Hodgers comprised the newcomers.
When all the 21st celebrations died down with a special night featuring the ‘Big 08’, a new record number of 45 travelled to share in the birthday festivities. Tom Ward retained his crown, completing a double, winning the Oliver Brannigan trophy. The music and entertainment wasn’t half bad that year with a party of Dutch holiday makers joining in the craic with great gusto.
A large number of newcomers joined this year, with the society welcoming Eric Hynes, Oliver and Eugene McKenna, Kevin Mathews, Eamon Flood, John Connolly, Alan Molloy and Pat Johnston. A ‘dark horse’ Noel Tumilty snatched victory, beating Tom Ward on a count back. Pat Johnston won the Oliver Brannigan trophy.
Cold blustery winds resulted in low scoring in 1994 with Tom Ward gaining his third Rosapenna win with 95 points, while Paddy Whyte lifted the Oliver Brannigan trophy. Alan Dunne, Andy Kenny, Terry Dillon, Leo Gormley and Eugene Quinn joined the ranks.
The continuing popularity of the society was underlined with again more new faces in Jimmy Farrelly, Paul Durnin and Mal Conlon among the 39 players who travelled once again to Rosapenna in 1995 to see Sean O’Sullivan win in a photo finish, and collect also the Oliver Brannigan trophy.
The list of TJ winners in the succeeding years were: 1996 Tom Ward; 1997 Tom Ward; 1998 Tommy Murphy; 1999 Terry Dillon; 2000 Pat McCabe; 2001 Sean Conyard; 2002 Jim Rogers; 2003 Brendan Keane; 2004 Terry Dillon; 2005 Joe Fergus; 2006 Tom Ward; 2007 Brendan Tumilty; 2008 Kieran Clarke; 2009 Joseph Molloy jnr; 2010 David Staunton; 2011 Martin McGrath; 2012 Tom Ward; 2013 Graham Tumilty; 2014 Eugene Duffy; 2015 Kevin Maguire; 2016 Adrian Kenny; 2017 Eugene Duffy; 2018 Kieran Clarke; 2019 Brendan Cleary.