FOLLOWING ITS AGM of Tuesday last, Letterkenny Golf Club have welcomed Ivan Fuery as Club Captain and Greg Sullivan as President.
When his late friend and colleague Joe Foley asked Ivan Fuery to be the Men’s Club Secretary in Letterkenny Golf Club way back in 2004, little did Ivan know that many years later, he would become Captain of this prestigious club. There were many funny, memorable moments to follow.
Photo caption: President Greg Sullivan, club Captain Ivan Fuery and 2016 Lady Captain Jacqueling Ireland.
Golf was not high on the agenda for Ivan at that time as he washeavily involved in the Donegal Rally but, Joe tried to change that. It was for this reason that Ivan mentioned Joe in both of his addresses to the respective AGM’s which took place last week.
Ivan hails from Ballina, Co Mayo, and was educated in St Muredach’s College. On joining the Garda Siochana, he was posted at first to Burnfoot, Inishowen, Co. Donegal and later transferred to Letterkenny, serving on outdoor duties for a number of years before taking up a position of administrative duties which he served until his retirement from the force.
Having met Cynthia, he settled into married life in Letterkenny and they have a wonderful daughter, Laura.
However, Ivan was never one for sitting idle and kept himself busy in the organisation of the Donegal Rally, acting as Secretary, Clerk of the Course and Rally Manager over the years.
“Publishing a very informative book on the Donegal Rally in 2008 was a very proud occasion” states the man himself. Ivan also held a senior position at the World Rally Championship event – Rally Ireland–and has travelled to many rounds to pursue his other passion, photography.
Letterkenny Golf Club Captain Gerard Duffy (left) welcoming 2016 club Captain Ivan Fuery
When Ivan took up the more leisurely pursuit of golf , he then really started to enjoy his retirement. “Age has nothing to do with it” says Ivan. “I enjoy my golf and photography and I will work to promote and raise the profile of Letterkenny Golf Club. We have an excellent product and I shall endeavour to sell it better”
Ivan talks about the enormous changes that have taken place at the club over the last few years. Further improvements are taking place at present which is all part of the Business Plan Module being developed for implementation during 2016.
“I am looking forward to my year as Captain of Letterkenny Golf Club. It is a great honour for me to have been proposed by Gerard Duffy and for that proposal to have been ratified by the members of the club. The door will be always open with a hearty welcome for all new and present golfers”. No doubt Ivan will give it his all.
Ivan wishes incoming club President Greg Sullivan and Lady Captain Jacqueline Ireland the very best for 2016 and looks forward to working with them, the committee’s and all club members.
President – Greg Sullivan
Greg would still consider himself as relatively new to golf. Having only taken up the sport in 1975, just a mere forty years ago, he has been a member of Letterkenny Golf Club every year since and became involved in the Competitions Committee at the club some six years ago, assisting an old friend and Garda colleague, the late Joe Foley. Greg has served on that committee until the present day and is also the course ranger at Letterkenny Golf Club.
President Anne Condon welcoming Greg Sullivan to the position of 2016 club President
Born just outside of Longford Town, he comes from what is known as a farming background. Having attended St. Mels College in Longford and receiving his secondary education, Greg joined An Garda Siochana in 1970 and was sent from the Garda College in Templemore to Buncrana, Inishowen, Co. Donegal, arriving there in March 1971.
Having spent a short period stationed in Buncrana and Burnfoot, he was then transferred to Letterkenny in 1973 where he joined the first Traffic Corps Unit in Co. Donegal. Having met his wife Maeve, a Letterkenny native, and getting married in 1976, it was either as a reward or a punishment that Greg was sent out of the County and down to Claremorris , in Co. Mayo.
However, after one year in exile, he made his way back to his adopted County Donegal and has remained here ever since.In 1983 Greg was promoted to the rank of sergeant and was sent back again to Buncrana where he remained for five years before returning again to Letterkenny in 1988.
Once again, when promotion beckoned in 1996, Inspector Sullivan returned to Buncrana where he remained until his retirement from An Garda Siochana in 2005.Never one for taking things easy, Mr. Sullivan now works along with a retired colleague, Liam Ruxton, at R & S Motorhomes, Ramelton Road, Letterkenny,
Greg recalls when he first started playing golf at Letterkenny Golf Club, when the greens were surrounded by sheep wire in order to keep the animals off the greens.
He boasts about the enormous improvements that have been made to the course year after year since then and considers the course to be one of the very best in Donegal if, indeed, not in the country. He states that “down the years, I have played on numerous courses around the county and indeed outside the county, and I would rate the greens at Letterkenny the best and most true greens that I have ever played”.
President Greg is looking forward to his year as President of Letterkenny Golf Club with great anticipation. He stated “Ii was honoured and delighted to be chosen by my peers for this most prestigious position in the club. I look forward to the further development of the course and will be happy to welcome golfers, andindeed new and potential golfers, to the club during the course of the year”.
Greg also relishes the prospect of working closely with incoming Captain Ivan Fuery and Lady Captain Jacqueline Ireland.
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