Cabinet discussing The Open at Portmarnock

blue note

I'm still not over the tour de France having a stage here and not getting renamed. The amount of people that think we're part of France as a result is unbelievable. We're still dealing with it daily 20 years later.

blue note

In fairness, people aren't mistaking the competitions name for the Great British Open, which would imply on the island of Great Britain. They're mistaking it for the British Open, which would probably imply the British Isles, which would include ourselves.

So when it happens and people start calling it the British open just relax and remember that while it is the wrong name, it's not wholly inappropriate.

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122425352#Comment_122425352

Its not called either of those things, though - its called The Open. You even acknowleged this in a previous post before deciding that it was actually called something different and going on a weird track about it.

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122425460#Comment_122425460

Pointing out that your entire argument is based on thinking that everyone uses the same wrong name as you is not pedantic; though.

Ottoman_1000

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122425460#Comment_122425460

Widely known?? I've only ever heard The Yanks refer to it as The British Open. I don't know of any Europeans who would refer to it as the "British" Open. I

Break80

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122424100#Comment_122424100

Agree 100%.

How this even got to cabinet level is beyond me.

The cost of the carrot we would have to dangle to sway The R/A to hold their Open championship outside The UK for the first time ever would be eye-watering.

No doubt taxpayer will pay, Portmarnock reap the benefits for years to come.

Deep Thought

would love to see it, but having been to the last six opens, I don’t see how they can get all those people to a peninsula. Where are park and rides? 20k people a day is a lot and our infrastructure ain’t great. They can barely get people from Maynooth in the city on an average day

RoadRunner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122427161#Comment_122427161

Park and ride via malahide park I imagine?

RoadRunner

http://www.golfsouth.co.uk/open-championship-at-royal-portrush-brought-in-100million-of-economic-benefits-to-northern-ireland/#:~:text=The%20Open%2C%20which%20returned%20to,hours%20of%20global%20television%20coverage.

I've personally visited Portrush/Portstewart during the Open directly and afterwards returning in the following years with friends playing both Portrush and Portstewart numerous times, enjoying the area, eating out and contributing significantly to the beverage production economy in the area. The open was the perfect showcase for what the area has to offer and I cant wait to return.

Deep Thought

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122428024#Comment_122428024

Possibly, doubt that would suit people from the west or south travelling. I have gotten the train the last couple of opens and they also have a bus transfer , again.. not sure how that would work here..

it’s going to be difficult.

At least somewhere like Adare or K- Clhb have acres of land around them . At the Ryder Cup they used Weston Aerodrome as P&R

FixdePitchmark

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122427139#Comment_122427139

Whilst I think it is a nonsense.

I'd imagine the overall benefit to Ireland would be positive.

Major sporting events have a far greater social and cultural impact ..and irish people are event junkies.

Look at any major events we have held ..people still talk about them and it is important to out identity and focus on Ireland as a great place to do things , buisness, great people and community.

You get investment and improvement in.socoety hard to see...you get ambition and confidence too.

It isn't a straightforward spreadsheet.

I don't agree with it from a sporting history perspective..but I see the vision.

soverybored1878

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058361194/cabinet-discussing-the-open-at-portmarnock

This is kind of like saying you resent The Masters being held at Augusta because they are so exclusive in their membership and don't allow visitors.

Whilst it would be great, I personally don't think this will ever happen for a number of reasons. Not getting bogged down with the 'british open/the open' debate but I also just don't think they'd be able to handle the infrastructure. It's a peninsula with one small access road.

If it did, it could have a knock-on benefit for courses nearby if tourists fancied a round whilst they are in Ireland? I don't know.

Kevinmarkham

When I got stuck into this thread I never expected it to be about whether it was called the 'The Open' or 'The British Open', or what is or isn't Britain/Great Britain/UK.

It is often, if mistakenly, called 'The British Open' outside the UK. Even Irish journalists call it The British Open. In America they regard their US Open as the most important Open championship - no surprise there - and so refer to the oldest, historical and most important major as The British Open. I hate hearing it called The British Open, but does it really matter.

As for Portmarnock hosting it and whether they offer good rates or open events, or whether they're stuffy/elitist is irrelevant. You could say that of Royal County Down and guess where the Irish Open is being held this year!

Portmarnock hosting The Open Championship would be huge for golf on this island. We are already known as one of the best golf destinations in the world, but hosting The Open would elevate things further and bring increased tourism/spend. And being the first course/country to host The Open outside the UK, after 150 years, would be an enormous honour… although it would probably also reinforce the popular American view that Ireland is a part of the UK.

The biggest challenge to ease this process along - as has been pointed out - is access to the golf club.

This conversation with the R&A, about hosting The Open at Portmarnock, has been going on in the background. It is not a bolt out of the blue. The government announcement is the formal beginning of the process.

For those saying it will (or should) never happen, you may be right, but we're further down the road than you might think: Portmarnock has already hosted two R&A tournaments. These are important steps.

I, for one, would love to see it happen.

billy3sheets

It would make attending much easier and affordable for everyone on this island. Assuming that you didn't need to stay in a Dublin hotel of course 😉

FixdePitchmark

I know this is a bit left of field and an unusual counter point.

But does Ireland really need more tourism ?

We already have very high green fee rates and hotel rates .

Do we really need more Americans taking up tee times ?

If I was to look at all the sports that need a focus or push in Ireland..I'd say it is grass routes soccer and league of Ireland..far better impact / societal return.

The club in question is so wealthy and the R&A and commercial value of event i is so high. Government shouldn't be getting involved or focusing too much resources or energy on this .

It should be a standalone commercial private entity..

Kevinmarkham

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122432417#Comment_122432417

I don't disagree with you, Fix, we have more than enough tourists coming and prices are getting to be ridiculous. But tourism (and golf tourists especially) is such an essential part of our economic make-up - Ireland earned €5.3 bn from overseas tourism in 2023. I don't see anyone backing off the tourism train. The government is going to support a venture like this that. After all, the Open at Royal Portrush generated €119 million of economic benefit for Northern Ireland.

The fact that it's a wealthy club is an interesting point - what golf club which has hosted the Irish Open in the past 20 years or so is anything but wealthy?

coillcam

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122435574#Comment_122435574

You can't host a big event without the high-end courses. They're the only clubs with the requisite facilities and cash reserves to invest. Versus heading off down to the arse end of the country where the changing room has 2 guest lockers.

The tourist point is fair imo. We always need any boost to the exchequer that's available. I'd love to know the breakdown of where golf tourist money is spent and how much comes from US vs UK vs ROW. Would suspect the top 5% of courses (big green fees) account for 80-90% of all revenue. US guests must be at contributing the bulk of this.

JVince

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122424341#Comment_122424341

Once you realise that posters novacs and beechwoodsparks probably never held a golf club in their hands, let alone play a game, it's easy to ignore them.

Some people are stuck in the past and think politics and nationalism should be the primary considerations for anything to do with sports.

Sad really.

Speak Now

The Amateur championship have been here in 2019 and 2024 so we already know The R&A have no issue hosting outside Britain and N.I if they so wish.

antimatterx

I think it would be amazing.

Ally McIntosh

The comment on Muirfield: The primary reason (though not the only one) it is not yet back on the rota is that Renaissance Club (next door) is the resident venue of The Scottish Open (week before).

The comments on Government help: The Open is huge. It needs government assistance every year. But not only - or always - financial. It’s about playing ball with the infrastructure and access. E.g. ensuring streets are closed, trains stop at Portmarnock, park and ride is made feasible. The government - and Ireland in general - have far more to gain than to lose. In fact it is arguable that the members of Portmarnock are the ones who may lose as much as they gain.

RoadRunner

Their 3rd set of 9 holes, the yellow 9 which weaves throughout the primary 18 holes will I imagine be destroyed in order to host a comp of this size?

The 6th green on the backup yellow 9.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122425364#Comment_122425364

The FA and the RFU are not over here administering sport though. Its just the pompous way they name things over there.

REFLINE1

https://www.rte.ie/news/regional/2024/1022/1476725-golf-bid-cabinet/

Looks like this is progressing a bit. Will be interesting to see how it plays out.

redhill

R&A Chief talking about Portrush Open today also mentioned this…

Darbon also reaffirmed the R&A's desire to take the Open outside of the United Kingdom for the first time, to Portmarnock in Dublin.

"We're really excited about the investigative work we're doing at Portmarnock and pleased with the support we're receiving from local authorities and the government," he said.

"We have a lot of work to do to bring that project to life but we're really optimistic that it will happen."