A Co Offaly golf club that had no clubhouse has solved its problem - by dismantling a 40-year-old unwanted clubhouse in England and rebuilding it on its own course.
The new clubhouse at Esker Hills, a golf club three miles from Tullamore, is the old clubhouse of Lilleshall golf club in Shropshire.
The English club was just weeks away from demolishing its cedarwood building when it learned that the Co Offaly club was badly in need of such a facility.
"It was the perfect solution for us to get rid of our old building," said Lilleshall chairman Mr Don Marshall.
Contact was made with Esker Hills, and club director Mr Donal Molloy travelled to England to see the clubhouse for himself. "It was just what we wanted, and I knew it would fit in perfectly with its new surroundings."
The building was dismantled piece by piece, loaded on a lorry and shipped to Ireland by Irish Ferries. It was then rebuilt in jigsaw fashion on the Co Offaly course.
The 18-hole championship course, designed by Christy O'Connor jnr, was opened in 1997. The club is owned by three private directors - Offaly businessmen Mr Donal Molloy, his brother Joe and Mr Donal O'Brien.
Among the membership of 200 are former Offaly hurling stars Michael Duignan and Johnny Dooley, and former county football stars Vinnie Claffey and Brendan Lowry.
Irish Ferries spokesman Mr Dave Townsend was amazed. "Over the years we have transported many unusual cargoes, but I've never heard of an entire clubhouse crossing the Irish Sea like this."
Esker Hills club captain Ben Duignan said members were thrilled with the building.
"We had only the use of a Portacabin before this, and there was no privacy in our changing facilities. Now we have a bit of comfort, and we have a place to facilitate people on corporate days."
Mr Molloy said yesterday the 3,500 sq ft clubhouse was purchased for the nominal sum of €2,000, and was an ideal facility for members pending further major development at the course.
"The members of Lilleshall essentially offered us a gift, and we are delighted that we were taking their clubhouse, and that the building was not going to be scrapped.
"We are very grateful to the English club for getting us out of a hole." The rebuilding of the clubhouse at Esker Hills two months ago has helped foster even stronger relations between the Irish and English clubs.
Esker Hills has sponsored a prize in a competition being held at Lilleshall which will see the winners holidaying in Offaly, enjoying all the golfing and other delights that the midlands has to offer.
Mr Molloy said the club was currently seeking planning permission from Offaly County Council for the construction of a 70-bedroom hotel and 90 houses.
He told The Irish Times the golf course provided challenging terrain for golfers as it was located on the rolling sand hills of the Eiscir Riada glacial remnants dating back to the last Ice Age.
Mr John Lahiffe, publicity manager of Tourism Ireland, said the unique way the link between the two clubs had been forged had already created a lot of interest.