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A 40-STRONG RAMPAGING herd of cattle has shut down one of Co Clare’s best known golf courses until further notice.
The herd of Charolais and Limousin cattle broke into the grounds of Woodstock golf course outside Ennis early Saturday morning and stampeded through the course damaging 10 greens in the process.
A spokesperson for Woodstock Golf Club said yesterday that on seeing the damage for the first time on Saturday morning, it was for the golf club workers concerned “total devastation”.
The spokesperson said:
For everyone connected to the club, it has been like as if someone died. There was a look of shock and horror on the members’ faces after they had seen what the cattle have done.
The spokesperson said that the course greenkeeper was out on the course at the 6th green at 6.30am on Saturday “when he saw one and then saw 40 animals coming at him”.
The spokesperson said the rest of the Woodstock workforce was at the course by 6.50am to help with the aftermath of the damage caused by the cattle.
“We have the best greens in Clare. There are huge greens and the course recently got great compliments from anyone who has played the course,” the spokesperson said.
Fine Gael member of Clare Co Council, councillor Mary Howard lives close to the golf club located on the western fringes of Ennis.
After viewing footage of the damage caused, Howard said: “I was absolutely shocked that a herd of cattle could cause such damage. It will take quite a while to rectify the damage.”
I couldn’t get over the damage and the hooves made divots of two, three and four inches deep on the greens. It is very upsetting for everyone at the golf club as it comes at the height of their season.
A message on the club’s Facebook page has advised members that the club is closed until further notice. The message posted on Saturday reads: “A herd of cattle got on to the course during the night and have caused serious and widespread damage. Devastating for our club and its owners and greenkeepers.”
The club spokesperson said that the closure of the course will result in a loss of income for the golf club through the loss of green fee income and also a loss of revenue at the adjoining Hotel Woodstock.
The club was yesterday awaiting assessors from the club’s insurance firm to assess the cost of the damage caused by the cattle.
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Told the cows to stop but they wouldnt listen,in one ear and out the udder
‘For everyone connected to the club, it has been like as if someone died. There was a look of shock and horror on the members’ faces’
Perspective please.
No one has died.
Just go home to your wives and do something constructive for the day instead.
The army could have been called in. And the cows could have been assassinated. Isn’t that what they do these days.
Guns are not the solution to every problem James.
**OCCUPIES HIGH MORAL GROUND**
Just go home to your wives? agh here! shur there is a reason you play golf!
Guns are not the solution to any problem Ricky
Rampaging? Has the writer ever been on a farm? I’m sure they spotted a gap and wandered aimlessly through the course, doing what cows do best, eating grass.
@Patrick Keane
often when cattle break into a new and unexplored field they will take off in a mad gallop
Hope the farmer has a good insurance policy………..
That and limosins are bit more bonkers than other cattle breeds.
Gowan the cows. Take yo grass back
There had to be an-udder way to do it…
It will be easier now to get a hole in one
Like someone died?? Ah lads would ye fcuk off.
Do not scroll down without typing “Amen” for the golfers concerned. In this case the BS that normally surrounds golf, golf courses and clubhouses manifested itself into the real thing. These people need to get over themselves. Go home and cut the lawn ffs.
Revenge…. From the five cows that were shot.
Don’t fcuk with cows.
It was an attempted moup
That was an attempted pun.
Je Suis Woodstock Golf Club
Bullocks to that
You’d be bulling alright.
Andrew Johnston’s fan club?
Am I the only one who clicked here to see the photos?
Nobody will be under par today anyway!!
Pity it wasn’t trumps place.
You don’t like Kerry people?
Wrong county
Clare people?
Cork people?
Munster people?
Star Wars people?
I want to live like common people
People are Strange
Yup I knew there would be one ass hole who would post that
“By the time we got to Woodstock we were half a million strong….”
We’re at DEFCON 2, all leave is cancelled, mobilise the army reserve.
“We have the best greens in Clare”
Not anymore
Cry into your slacks golf boys
Golf courses are a massive waste of land that could better be employed growing crops or grazing for cattle and sheep
The same with all soccer and gaa pitches too…..
Donal
Don’t forget grazing cows, they didn’t
Yeah because there’s a huge shortage of farm land for grazing????!!!!! I’m not sure what you’re trying to get at.
Nick, cows are cattle you mope.
John fahy Soccer and GAA pitches are much smaller and provide space for actual exercise.
Were the cows recently radicalised?
Is there a war going on against cattle that I didn’t know about?
The sweet green lush fairways of a golf course must look like KFC through the eyes of cattle. Maybe those army boys with their steyr’s will be called up again to sort this one.
Have ye no pictures?
Saw some on the dark web.
Orrible it was.
Pictures were too distressing and graphic to post, this is a family website!
prob seen a few army lads and were making a run for it…
Oh dear, how sad….
The captain will not be pleased ;)
Plenty of chances for good scores though
My god, how awful for those elite, I bet there was cow pats everywhere as well :)
Where’s the army snipers when you need them. Call in the balifs
Someone call the Army
Bring back the Death Penelty….. Oh wait.
They will save on fertiliser cost which is a bonus.
shame it wasent doonbeg
What a load of bull
Does anyone know what Taylor Swift thinks of all this?
I’m not green, of course I’ve heard of cattle!
why are the golfies complaining? Surely it makes that “game” you play more challenging??
BBEEEEEEEEEEFFFFFFFF!!!!!!!!!!!
Really this is news, who cares
I’d say they were Bull’n Saturday morning
Could have been a group of TD’s, something hoofed that plays golf or is that devils?
Call in the army to sort them out
They’ll have to use the udder course up the road.
Damage looks serious and will take time to repair. Understandable distress caused to members and particularly those who depend on the club for their livelihoods.
Well done to Ennis GC for stepping in so generously and behaving like a good neighbour should.
Best wishes to those tasked with repairing the course.
Shame about the number of mean spirited sneering comments below the line here.
Of the grimly predicable bovine puns, only that placing the blame on a solitary cow with a bad short game has some merit…
Now that is why Trump wants to build walls
Er, my heart bleeds.
We will fight for bovine freedom
I heard it was one cow… with a terrible short game…
mOoops!
I wonder did Thrump own the cows ?
Rylands v Fletcher
have your say