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Robinhood Golf Club (Robin Hood), Dublin. (1910 - 1920s)

Founded in 1910 the club used  both the names Robinhood and Robin Hood.

Report on the new club in January 1911.

Dublin Evening Mail Friday 13 January 1911. Content provided by THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

From the Dublin Evening Telegraph Monday 13 March 1911 - "Robin Hood Golf Club - The professional William Butler has the course now in fine playing condition. The committee are arranging a series of fixtures for the season, opening with a medal (stroke) competition, which will be held on St Patrick's Day, from 11.30 am. Entries at the pavilion." 

Dublin Evening Mail Monday 20 March 1911 - "The opening competition was held on St Patrick's Day, when the following scores were made; H C Cary, 141-25-116; J J Slattery, 137-19-118; R B Milne, 144-25-119; J S Roberts, 149-25-124. There were nineteen other competitors, and all did fairly well. The next competition will be in two heats - nine holes on next Saturday, and nine the following Saturday - for a prize offered by a member. No fee. Starting at 2.30 punctually. The course is now in very fine order, and reflects the greatest credit on the professional, William Butler. Particulars of membership etc., can be obtained on application to the Hon Sec., G D Williams, 1 Eden Villas, Inchicore."

There was an attempt to revive the club following WW1.

The following report is from the Freeman's Journal Saturday 23 October 1920 - "ROBINHOOD GOLF CLUB - New links to be laid out at Clondalkin -  An agreement has been completed for the formation of a new Golf Club in Dublin. Mr George Fleming, well known in Irish racing and theatrical circles, has formed a committee, and extensive lands have bee acquired at Robin Hood, situated in the neighbourhood of Clondalkin, and within easy access of Inchicore.

Here will be shortly laid out an excellent nine-hole links, under the personal direction, it is hoped, of Ben Sayers, the famous Irish-Scottish professional. The lands are in every way adaptable to the purpose. Very little "removals" will be found necessary, in fact, in the words of Mr Fleming "it is a natural golf course." Work will commence shortly, and within a few months it is hoped the Robin Hood Golf Club will be in full swing. Membership is to be limited to 200 men and 50 ladies. The entry fee will be two guineas, and the annual subscription two guineas for men. The ladies will not be called upon to pay an entrance fee and the annual subscription will be one guinea.

The proprietors are arranging for a convenient bus service from the Inchicore tram terminus and city members will find the Robin Hood links easy to get at and convenient in every respect. Plans are in progress for the building of a pavilion on the most up to date lines, and big success seems assured for this interesting sporting venture."  

The club and course opened on Sunday 23 January 1921.

Evening Herald (Dublin) Monday 5 December 1921. Image © Mediahuis Ireland. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Carnival dance held in February 1923.

Irish Society (Dublin) Saturday 10 February 1923.

Another dance was held in March 1923 organised by Dick Coyle and H Mitchell to provide funds for the enlargement and improvement of the golf course.

In May 1923 Mr Sherman was steward at the club.

A nine-hole stroke competition was arranged for the ladies' section on Monday 17 March 1924.

Report on the formation of the current Newlands Golf Club from the Irish Field Saturday 27 March 1926. It provides information on the history of the earlier Robin Hood Golf Club – “It is really in its sixteenth year for it was 1910 that the Robin Hood Club, of which it is a foundation, was started. Situated a mile or so from the Inchicore tram terminus, is a piece of ground forming a triangle, which was original a quarry, this was the site selected for the original Robin Hood Golf Club, but sixteen years ago there were not the same facilities for getting to remote localities which there are now and after remaining at the quarry for a few years the committee had to abandon the project and the club came to an untimely end. William Butler, the doyen of Irish professional golfers, who began his career as a caddie at Hoylake, was attached to the club, and when it closed its doors he migrated to Finglas.

It was not until 1920 that another attempt was made to get it on its feet. Among those who took an active part in reconstituting the club were Mr Fleming and Mr P C Roberts and so successful were the promoters that the club flourished for close on five years. The committee were, however, ambitious and with an increasing membership role it became evident that additional land would have to be obtained and the course extended, if the competition were to be relieved. But they were doomed to disappointment in that direction and were obliged to look further afield. Ultimately they found themselves as tenants of Newlands.”

The Gooogle Map shows the Robinhood area. The exact location is, as yet, unknown.