Castlebar Badminton Club

Senior Badminton Making a Comeback in Castlebar.

There was a time in the 1980's when badminton was flourishing all over the country and Mayo was no different. Every village had a club and at least one team participating in the Mayo Leagues. At that time Castlebar had two clubs, The Sportlann and St. Marys. There were four divisions with up to eight teams in each division. One week you could be heading for Finney or Tourmakeady and the next to Belmullet or Barnacarroll. Those were the days of long matches, great nights out, superb hospitality/homecooking and lifelong friendships.

Surprisingly, those days could be about to return as badminton has begun to make a comeback around the county. The Connaught Branch of Badminton Ireland have lately been contacted by several places in Mayo with a view to registering clubs - places like Balla, Ballyhaunis, Roundfort and Belmullet are signing up again. It is also known, from our scouts, that senior badminton is being played in places like Crossmolina, home of J J Tolan, one of the greats and Westport, home of equally great, Joe Magee. When these are added to Castlebar and Ballina, both of whom have kept playing through the 90's, even taken part in the Sligo Leagues in the past to keep interest in the game alive, senior badminton's future in Mayo looks exceedingly better.

If you are living or working in the Castlebar area and would like to take up a racquet again or would like to give the sport a try for the first time you would be most welcome. The club meets in the De La Salle Hall, behind St. Geralds on the Newport Rd, every Monday. The NEW starting time is 8.00 p.m. (to 10.30 p.m.) to accommodate those who would like to play early. So go on, give it a go - make it your new year's resolution - much better than watching the box.