Great Value

Castletroy Golf Club

Limerick city · Designed by Eddie Connaughton (redesign 2006)

Castletroy takes its name from Castle Troy — Caladh an Treoigh in Irish, meaning Troy's Landing — the ruins of a 13th-century fortification on the River Shannon two kilometres east of what is now the University of Limerick campus. The Black Castle, as it was also known, was built by the O'Briens to guard their territorial border against the Anglo-Normans who held King John's Castle in Limerick city. It passed to the MacKeoghs and then the FitzGeralds, Earls of Desmond; when Gerald FitzGerald was killed in 1582 during the Desmond Rebellion, the lands were redistributed. The castle was most likely demolished during the Williamite siege of Limerick in 1690. Beside it, Plassey House — now the administrative heart of the University of Limerick — was built around 1790 by Thomas Maunsell, who named it after the Battle of Plassey in Bengal where his family had served. Despite persistent local legend, historians have found no evidence that Robert Clive ever owned or visited the estate.

The golf club was founded in 1937 on 53 acres of leased farmland, with Malcolm Shaw's financial backing keeping it solvent through the early years. It expanded to 18 holes in 1942 and underwent a complete redesign by Eddie Connaughton in 2006 — 18 new tee boxes and green complexes to USGA specification, new fairway bunkering and water features throughout. The course reopened in May 2006 and subsequently ranked in Ireland's top 100. The par 72 layout runs to 6,190 yards with a rating of 72.8/slope 131: front nine gentler and rolling, back nine considerably tighter.

The club's flagship event is the Senior Scratch Cup, first played 3 July 1948 — the oldest continuously run scratch cup in Ireland. Past winners include seven GB&I Walker Cup representatives: John Burke, Jimmy Bruen, Max McCready, J.B. Carr, Tom Craddock, David Sheahan, and James Sugrue. Future European Tour professionals Des Smyth and Liam Higgins also have their names on the trophy. Barbara Hackett, who won the Irish Amateur Championship in 1996 and was Leading Amateur at the British Open the same year, is a life member here.

Holes worth knowing

111th (par-3) — the nerve-tester of the back nine, played over water to a green that forgives nothing. The front nine eases you in; this hole tells you the score.
216th (par-4) — fairway bunkering tightens the line from the tee, and the approach must find an elevated green with no room to miss right. Panoramic views across the course from the green make it the most atmospheric hole on the card.

Highlights

Senior Scratch Cup since 1948 — oldest continuously run in Ireland
Seven Walker Cup winners on the honour board
Eddie Connaughton redesign 2006 — rated 72.8/131
13th-century Castle Troy ruins 2km away
20 minutes from Shannon Airport

Good to know

→Nancy Blakes on Denmark Street (est. 1956) is Limerick's benchmark traditional pub — wide whiskey selection, live trad on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. A proper Irish pub that hasn't been modernised for tourists.
→Dolan's on Dock Road is the best live music venue in the city: free trad sessions seven nights a week, plus folk, rock, and jazz in the larger room. Worth a late night.
→King John's Castle on the river is open daily — interactive 13th-century Norman fortress, good views from the tower, and one of the better castle experiences in Munster.
→The Treaty Stone is in Clancy Strand by the Shannon — the block on which the Treaty of Limerick was supposedly signed in 1691. The treaty was promptly violated by both the English and Irish parliaments, which is why the city's other nickname is "City of the Broken Treaty."
→Shannon Airport is 20 minutes west. A morning round at Castletroy is a practical first day if you're flying in for the Clare or Kerry links — close to the airport, good conditioning, no jet lag excuses.

Visitor Information

Getting There

20min drive

1h drive

Common questions

What is Castletroy Golf Club like?

Castletroy is an active parkland club on the outskirts of Limerick city near the University of Limerick campus. It is a well-maintained eighteen-hole course at a very accessible price point, serving golfers passing through the midwest on the Shannon circuit. The course is straightforward and playable for all abilities.

Is Castletroy a good stop on a Kerry-Clare itinerary?

Yes — Castletroy sits at the natural junction between Kerry and Clare golf. Shannon Airport is twenty minutes northwest; Lahinch is forty-five minutes north; Ballybunion is an hour southwest. For golfers assembling a week of golf across the southwest, Castletroy provides a good-value round on a travel day rather than losing the day entirely.

How do I book Castletroy Golf Club?

Castletroy books through GolfNow with consistent availability.

What is there to do in Limerick?

Limerick has undergone significant regeneration in recent years. King John's Castle on the River Shannon is the centrepiece of the city's medieval history. The Hunt Museum has one of the finest private art collections in Ireland. Adare — fifteen minutes southwest — is regarded as the most picturesque village in Ireland and has several thatched pubs worth stopping at.