Over the Whitsun weekend of 2008, a few of the members of the Na Madrai Golf Society set off across the water to Rooskey, Co. Leitrim, Ireland, where John Tighe had kindly arranged accommodation in The Shannon Key West Hotel.

Our first game on Friday 23rd May was at Athlone Golf Club, Hodson Bay. This was only a practice game for the main event, but people were taking it seriously. Luckily Greg Pons volunteered to drive John Tighe’s ‘Fun Bus’ so a few of us could get in the right frame of mind while travelling down.

The course was stunning, set on the banks of Lough Ree, where the three counties meet, Longford, West Meath and Roscommon. Shame our golf couldn’t match the setting.

On Saturday 24th May it was competition time as we held our first competitive game of the weekend at County Longford Golf Club, where we had been joined by some old friends of the Spotted Dog, Denis Conroy and Billy Doyle.

Jeff Hall, Brendan Kimmet and Greg Pons all come in with 34 points closely followed by Ian Clueit on 33 points, with a number of others still in close contention. Grahame Murray was the longest walk, but he did walk off after 9 holes.

On Sunday the venue changed to Carrick-on-Shannon Golf Club. We finally made it there after the ‘Fun Bus’ had run out of diesel and we had to be rescued by Maureen and Adam.

On this game we had been joined by another old friend Sean Quinn, who had travelled down from Donegal to play golf.

This time it was all to play for, as it was the combined scores over the two days that went towards the overall winner.

First to fall was Greg who walked off injured after 4 holes, but after his adventures over the weekend like swimming in the Shannon, nobody could blame him for this. Again the golf course was spectacular with stunning views and tricky holes winding along the banks of the Shannon.

Next retirements were Jaffa and Julia who decided they’d had enough after 9 holes, as the rest of us battled our way around the course, none of us knowing how any of the others were getting on.

Finally we finished the golf and, despite not winning on the day, Jeff Hall had won the competition after coming in with 30 points, while the rest of us had succumbed to the blistering heat of the sun and the strong winds.

Afterwards we all went to Burkes Bar, Carrick-on-Shannon where John and Cath Cleary made us all welcome.

The presentations were made back at the hotel with Jeff Hall picking up the trophy for overall winner, Mick Donohoe for nearest the pin, Julia Hampson for longest drive, and Grahame Murray for the longest walk.

The tourist of the year award went to Adam Crossley who, in true Spotted Dog spirit, had taken his clubs over and never managed to play a game!