Athlone Tennis Club — August 2026 Newsletter
A packed August for the club — our first Gold Sponsor, a double league win, local newspaper coverage, and plenty more coming up in September. Here's everything you need to know.
Club News
A Message from the Committee
What a month it's been. We welcomed Lidan Innovations as our first-ever Gold Sponsor, our senior teams put in a superb week in the Midland Tennis League, and the club even made the back page of the local paper. None of this happens without the members, volunteers, and coaches who show up week after week — thank you all. Read on for the full round-up.
What's Happening Around the Club
Athlone Tennis Club had a moment in the spotlight this August, featured on the back page of the local paper covering our Regional Tennis Dome project, the new Lidan Gold Sponsorship, and our recent league form. It's a great reflection of the momentum building around the club right now — from fundraising for three new courts under a dome, to strong results on court, to a growing junior programme. If you have photos from the month to share, get in touch and we'll add them to the Gallery.
Junior Tennis
Junior coaching continues every Saturday from 10am to 1pm for ages 5–17, with Coach Clem Higginbotham and Coach Lisa Brennan. It was also a big month for our junior players — see the Junior Club Championship results below!
Beginner's Night
Beginners are welcome every Sunday from 6:00–7:00pm — a relaxed, friendly session for anyone picking up a racket for the first time or getting back into the game.
Upcoming Events & Open Days
Junior Open Day — Sunday, 6th September, 2:00–4:00pm. Open to children and teenagers aged 6 to 17, of all abilities, this free session is led by Certified Tennis Ireland coaches and designed to be a fun, welcoming introduction to the sport — no prior experience or equipment required. Whether your child has never picked up a racket or already plays regularly, everyone is welcome. Bring the whole family along!
Coaching & Training
All our regular coaching sessions continue as normal — junior coaching Saturdays, adult group and beginner sessions midweek and at weekends, and private lessons on request. See the contact page for details on getting in touch with our coaches.
League News
Athlone recorded a superb double League success in the Midland Tennis League this August, winning tight, tense fixtures in both Division 5 and Division 6 — each one decided on total games after hard-fought doubles play.
Division 6 saw Athlone edge out Loughrea in a closely contested Section 1 tie on 17th August, a result that secured second place and booked a home quarter-final against Borrisokane. Loughrea's Hanna Nikhnievych and Viktoria Lyman opened with a 9–6 win over Therese Tormey and Lisa Connaughton, but Athlone hit back immediately as Himani Dhawan and Sharon Carty beat Fionola Brogan and Orla O'Brien 9–2. Tormey and Connaughton then won a crucial 9–8 second rubber to nose Athlone ahead, before Loughrea levelled through Nikhnievych and Lyman's 9–6 win over Dhawan and Carty. With the tie level at two rubbers apiece, it came down to total games — Athlone prevailed 30–28.
Division 5 brought another nail-biter, this time against Birr Wilmer. Caroline Boyd and Ann Milne opened strongly with a 9–6 win over Mary Mullin and Sandra Rohan, before Arleta Wyrzykowska and Sheila O'Beirne levelled with a 9–5 win over Maria Molloy and Caroline O'Meara. Wilmer edged back ahead as Boyd and Milne beat Wyrzykowska and O'Beirne 9–8, but Mullin and Rohan came through with a vital 9–6 win in the fourth rubber to seal the tie for Athlone on total games, 32–29.
Huge congratulations to both squads on a brilliant week of tennis — and good luck to the Division 6 team in their upcoming home quarter-final against Borrisokane!
Junior Club Championship
Congratulations to all our junior players who took part in the 2026 Junior Club Championship on Saturday, 5th September — a fantastic day of tennis across six age categories. See the full results here →
Fundraising & Development
Dome Project Update
The push to build three new indoor courts under a dome — giving the club six courts in total and true all-weather, year-round tennis for Athlone and the wider Midlands — continues to gather pace. This month's Gold Sponsorship from Lidan Innovations is a major boost to that effort. You can follow live progress on our fundraising page.
Fundraising News
Thank you to everyone who took part in our Spinathon on Saturday, 29th August — a high-energy stationary bike fundraiser that brought members together to pedal for the Dome. Every euro raised goes directly toward the courts and dome. Check the fundraising page for the latest running total, and keep an eye out for Race Night this September — another fun night out in support of the project.
Corporate Sponsorship
We're delighted to now have four fantastic local and national businesses backing the club:
- Lidan Innovations (Gold Sponsor) — the Roscommon-based manufacturer of mass-engineered timber buildings has become our first-ever Gold Sponsor, and Court 1 has been renamed in their honour. Lidan director Chris Ball, presenting the sponsorship, said the deal "follows our recent support for the first athletics track in Roscommon and highlights the need for and importance of developing top-class sporting facilities in the Midlands for the benefit of our communities." Coach Clem Higginbotham added: "This is another important step forward on our fundraising journey, but there's still a long way to go. We really appreciate Lidan's generosity to sponsor Court No 1 as our first gold sponsor." Read the full Lidan announcement →
- Home Health Care (Silver Sponsor) — Ireland's trusted CPAP partner since 1990, based right here in Athlone. Read more here →
- Ganly's (Silver Sponsor) — a trusted Irish family business for over 36 years. Read more here →
- Innovize (Bronze Sponsor) — formerly Zenith Adhesive Components, founded right here in Athlone in 2012. Read more here →
See the full lineup any time on our sponsors page.
Thank You to Our Supporters
And of course, none of this would be possible without everyone who has bought a brick for our Supporters Wall. A heartfelt thank you to:
Want to add your name to the wall? Buy a brick for €250 →
Membership & Community
Welcome to Our New Members
A warm welcome to everyone who's joined the club this month — we're delighted to have you, and we hope to see you at a club night, coaching session, or the Junior Open Day very soon.
Meet the Members
Big congratulations to our victorious Division 5 and Division 6 squads this month:
- Division 5: Sheila O'Beirne, Sandra Rohan, Arleta Wyrzykowska and Mary Mullin
- Division 6: Therese Tormey, Sharon Carty, Himani Dhawan and Lisa Connaughton
And a special mention to Maria Moulton, Sarah Le Cumbre and Rosemary Thorpe, who joined Chris Ball on behalf of the club for the Lidan sponsorship presentation. Fantastic representation all round!
Club Community
Athlone Tennis Club, established in 1885, has long been a cornerstone of local sporting life — and this month's newspaper coverage, league success, and new sponsorships are a great reminder of just how much that community continues to grow. Thank you to everyone who makes the club what it is.
Coming Up
Dates for Your Diary
- Sunday, 6th September — Junior Open Day, 2:00–4:00pm
- Monday, 7th September — 2026 Closed Championships get underway
- Sunday, 13th September — Adults vs Juniors, 10:00am–1:00pm
- September — Division 6 home quarter-final vs. Borrisokane (date to be confirmed)
- September — Race Night fundraiser
- Sunday, 27th September — Closed Championships Finals Day
What's Coming Up
Entries are now closing for the 2026 Athlone Tennis Club Closed Championships — five open events (Men's Singles, Women's Singles, Men's Doubles, Women's Doubles and Mixed Doubles), with games starting Monday 7th September and Finals Day on Sunday 27th September. It costs just €5 to enter an event, with a maximum of 3 events per player — a great way to get some competitive matches in before the year is out.
Don't miss our Adults vs Juniors annual event on Sunday, 13th September, 10:00am–1:00pm — always one of the highlights of the club calendar. It's a brilliant, fun-filled morning of competitive tennis across the generations, and a great chance for the whole club community to come together on court.
Beyond that, it's a busy September all round — a home quarter-final for our Division 6 team, the Junior Open Day welcoming new young players, and Race Night in support of the Dome fundraiser. Keep an eye on our news page for all the details as they're confirmed.
Get Involved
There are plenty of ways to get involved beyond playing: buy a brick for the Supporters Wall, enter the Closed Championships, come along to cheer on (or play in!) Adults vs Juniors, volunteer at Race Night, or simply spread the word about the Junior Open Day to any young players you know. Every bit of support helps bring the Dome closer to reality.
This Month at ATC
From a Gold Sponsorship cheque presentation to a nail-biting double league win and a brilliant Junior Club Championship, August has been one to remember. Here's to an even bigger September — see you on the courts!
Stay in Touch
Questions or something to include in next month's newsletter? Get in touch — we'd love to hear from you.
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