Up to 18,000 golf fans are beginning to descend on Kilkenny as the Horizon Irish Open tees off this morning.
It’s expected to be a full house at Mount Juliet Estate in terms of spectators this weekend after only very limited numbers were allowed in last year due to Covid19 restrictions.
There’s a free public bus service available from Stoneyford and Thomastown for fans as well as a bus going regularly from Kilkenny Castle throughout the day.
Local Roads Policing Inspector Paul Donohoe says everyone has to use the park and ride and no-one will be allowed to drive up to the venue.
You’ll find all you need to know on the KCLR website, but Inspector Donohoe says the system worked well for yesterday’s Pro-Am.
Kilkenny amateur Mark Power’s hoping to do well at the competition – he knows the course inside out & says he’s going to enjoy the tournament.
While the surrounding areas look set to benefit from the extra visitors with many hotels and B&Bs across the city and county saying their beds are long booked up.
The effect is being felt in Carlow too as Chamber CEO Brian O’Farrell explains; “Yes indeed, we have been seeing some benefits from that I know some of the accommodation providers in and around the county they’ve indicated to us that they have numerous bookings come in as a result of the Irish Open and some of them have indicated that if they had an extra stock of rooms available they’re sure they would have been able to sell those as well such is the demand so it’s great to have the Irish Open here in the area”.
He adds “There’s a wider impact from it, besides the economic side as well there’s a good energy around Kilkenny and Carlow and some of the surrounding areas with it going on, it’s great to have an event of this calibre here for local support and that as well so there’s a lot of things happening with it, do you know what we’d look to see more of these types of events in the area, and onwards and upwards, delighted now to have the Irish Open there in Mount Juliet”.
Stay tuned – KCLR is there across the tournament with live shows and reporters bringing you the very latest. And if you’ve something to add please get in touch: [email protected] or 056 7796262, you can also text/Whatsapp straight to studio via 083 306 96 96.
