Maher urges council to provide more tennis courts across Cork city

Cork city Labour councillor John Maher has called on Cork City Council to provide public tennis courts across the city.

Mr Maher, who submitted a motion in late 2024 calling for tennis courts to be installed in all public parks, said he was not happy with the reply.

The council’s director of services, David Joyce, said at the time the city council “has been very supportive of the sport of tennis”, leasing lands to Douglas, Bishopstown, and Ballinlough tennis clubs and developing courts in Clashduv Park and Meelick Park.

He said: “The approximate cost of providing two new tennis courts is €100,000. Most of our parks such as Gerry O’Sullivan Park, Pophams Park, the Fairfield, Lough Mahon Park, Tory Top Park, Beaumont Park, Glenamoy Lawn Park etc are not suitable due to lack of space or topography. Neither is there evidence that provision of additional courts could be justified in terms of usage and cost.”

Mr Maher said: 

“I live in Ballyvolane and over the years, I’ve seen the people use the tennis courts in Kempton Park. Since their upgrade, young and old are using the courts. We have the only two in the northside of Cork city.

“For the past five or six years, we have a budget of €200,000 to provide multi-use games areas and calestenic gyms in community parks. The Labour Party in Cork city will be pushing this year that we expand it to tennis courts and increase the budget.

“As someone who sees it every day, build them and the people will use them. These tennis courts promote healthy living, active lifestyle and give people an option of a new sport.”