Terrific Tennis 🎾🎾 Traditional Cache

This cache is near Shankill Tennis Club. You will not need to enter the tennis court area and please be quiet as there may be tennis matches in progress. 

History:

Established in 1986 and based on four Dublin County Council courts, Shankill Tennis Club opened with 700 members and a small portacabin clubhouse. The portacabin was burned to the ground in March 1989 and the members began to fundraise for a new clubhouse. Having spent one year in a B & I container, the Club in a productive joint venture with the County Council and supported by the National Lottery, soon had permanent Clubhouse facilities. These were opened in July 1990. Further developments followed apace.

• Floodlights were erected in 1991.
• Three new hard courts were added in 1995.
• In 1998 the original four courts were extended, realigned and upgraded to an artificial surface.
• 2003 saw the provision of floodlights and a new synthetic Omni-Pro surface on three remaining courts.
• In 2008 with major investment, the club built its new clubhouse.
• In 2010 new court surfaces were laid with new floodlighting and nets on four courts.
• 2011 – Planning permission was obtained for a large development for the club which included an indoor centre and plans for further outdoor courts.
• 2016 – Superb new Indoor Tennis Centre opened with three new courts – bringing the total number of courts to ten.

Success off the court has been matched by success on it. The Club regularly fields seven men’s, seven women’s and several junior teams in the DLTC Leagues and has numerous pennants to its name. In 1991, it became the first County Council based Club to be given a permit by Tennis Ireland to host a Junior Open Tournament. This popular Grand Prix Event, the Shankill Junior Open continues to attract young players of the highest calibre. The Club organises coaching for all standards, runs regular tournaments and social events and has a very active Junior section.

The club’s achievements have been recognised through awards by the Leinster Tennis Council, attaining the title Tennis Club of the Year in 2008

In February 2018, Shankill Tennis Club was named the IPB/LAMA Best Community Sports Club in Ireland for its efforts to make tennis available and accessible to all members of the community. Shortly after this, the club hosted the 2018 World Blind Tennis Championships – the first time the Championships have been held in Ireland. The tournament was rated a huge success by the players, coaches, organisers and by the International Blind Tennis Association with over 60 players taking part.