Planning application to be served up to council for tennis courts at Kilberry
Plans for the restoration of the old tennis courts in Kilberry to their former glory are progressing with a planning application about to be lodged.
The tennis courts were originally developed as grass courts in the 1940s and were the focal point for the community until they fell in to disuse in the mid-1990s. Now Kilberry Tennis Club committee is proposing to restore the two tennis courts as well as erecting floodlights and the committee also plans to build a clubhouse.
Planning permission is being sought for the groundworks associated with the laying out and use of two tennis courts with surround netting and also a single-storey clubhouse of 106sqm with PV Solar panels.
The plans also include seven 12m high steel columns with LED floodlight, a new parking area for 11 cars, upgrade of the existing entrance to the public road and a wastewater treatment system.
The local tennis courts, which are located beside the cemetery, were once the heartbeat of the local community and a focal point for people of all ages to come together and play tennis. In recent years, Kilberry Amenity and Heritage Group, formed a tennis club committee to progress the project and there is huge support for the project locally.
A grant of €20,000 was awarded under the Amenity Grant Scheme 2024 in the Kells MD but much more will be needed to bring the dreams of restoring the tennis courts to fruition and committee will be seeking other funding streams that can be accessed to progress this project.
"These courts were like the heartbeat of Kilberry, alongside Wolfe Tones and Torro United, shaping how we do sports here. You can bet that most folks in this tiny village can give you a run for your money in tennis, even if they haven't picked up a racket since they were kids.
"And it wasn't just a sport for us; it was a community glue. All ages used the space, playing competitively or just messing around. You could be facing off against someone way older than you, which built resilience and a drive to prove yourself.
"It spanned the generations, pulling everyone together. The courts gave us youngsters a place to go, kept us on the straight and narrow, and filled us with focus and pride in our community. It was more than tennis; it was a shared journey that connected us all, from little kids to the elders, making Kilberry feel like a big, extended family."
Local councillor Eugene Cassidy said restoring the tennis courts was something that came up a lot on the doorsteps before the local elections and there is huge support for it locally.
He welcomed the planning application saying the tennis courts were once "a part of the fabric of Kilberry and he looked forward to them being so again in the future". He wished the committee well as they advance the project and said he looked forward to working with the committee to deliver this amenity for the area.