A chara, - A decision by Dublin Corporation appears imminent, on foot of calls from a wide range of sports and heritage organisations for the national real tennis court at Earlsfort Terrace to be saved from conversion to a recital hall. A recital hall in itself is a perfectly laudable idea, but not, we suggest, at the expense of a unique building designed for the playing of a sport with a long history in this country and presently on the crest of a worldwide explosion in popularity.
It is recognised that the original game of tennis (as opposed to "lawn tennis") is not well known in Ireland at present, and despite many years of lobbying government agencies, including those charged with sports promotion and preservation of our built heritage, we are still asked why this abandoned national asset should be re-opened for the enjoyment of Ireland's sportspeople.
I seek to clarify why this court is unique:
1. It is the only covered court in Ireland.
2. It is the only court in the world built of marble.
3. It is the only court in the world ever given to a nation of people by a private individual.
4. It is one of only two courts in the world in the ownership of a state Government.
5. The real tennis world championship has been played in just four cities in the world in the past 150 years: New York, London, Melbourne and Dublin (1890).
6. It is the only court in the world at present, or in the past 30 years, threatened with conversion to another use. Every other one of the playing nations is either putting old courts back into play or building new ones to cope with the resurgence of activity.
Must Ireland forever distinguish itself by destroying its inheritance? - Yours, etc., Ted Neville,
Secretary,
Irish Real Tennis Association,
Douglas,
Cork.