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| Formation | 1877 |
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| Type | Private Members Club |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 53°19′40″N06°14′56″W / 53.32778°N 6.24889°W |
Region served | Dublin |
Official language | English |
| Website | Official website |
Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club is a tennis, squash and padel club in central Dublin, Ireland's capital city. Established in 1877, Fitzwilliam is one of the oldest tennis clubs in the world. [1] It has held the Irish Open Tennis and Open Squash Championships in most years since the late 19th century.
In November 1877 ten men met to found the Dublin Lawn Tennis Club. [2] This club was to initially consist of 30 members each paying an annual subscription of three pounds. [3] They next met on 23 November 1877 and discussed leasing grounds at 24-25 Upper Pembroke Street, near to Fitzwilliam Square, owned by Sir Francis Brady, a judge, on a lease of ten years for a rent of twenty five pounds per year. [4] On 6 December 1877 another meeting was convened when the committee assembled and agreed to adopt the name Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club. [5]
In 1879 the Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club staged its first Irish Lawn Tennis Championships at Fitzwilliam Square which remained the venue for that event until 1903. [6] Significantly, the year 1879 also saw the hosting by Fitzwilliam of the world's first National Ladies' Tennis Championship, an event which was marked in 2023 by the installation at 24/25 Upper Pembroke Street of a Dublin City Council commemorative plaque. The ladies' event was held there rather than at Fitzwilliam Square in order, it was reported in The Field magazine, "to keep the matches as private as possible".
In 1880 the club had reached the point where there was not enough room for expansion at its current location. [7] The club therefore acquired land at Wilton Place/Lad Lane, on a leasehold basis, on which tennis courts were constructed, together with an adjoining building which was converted to serve as the clubhouse. [8]
By 1885, the success of the club led to the Committee’s wanting to expand further and, in due course, two acres next to the pavilion were acquired and additional tennis courts (with a grass surface) were laid down. In 1902 the club decided to build a pavilion directly on the club grounds, allowing the lease on the adjoining building to be surrendered. [9]
In 1912, a decision was made to construct a squash court on the club grounds at Wilton Place. This was, at the time, one of very few squash courts in the country, albeit one that was slightly below regulation size. This was replaced in the late 1930s by a regulation size court on the opposite side of the pavilion. In the 1960s, two squash courts and a small gallery were built on the site of the original court.
In 1903 the Irish Tennis Championships venue was moved from Fitzwilliam Square to Wilton Place. [10]
In 1969 the members of Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club approved an offer to surrender its Wilton Place premises and move to a purpose-built complex on a much larger site at Appian Way, Dublin 6. [11] The move involved replacing a Victorian building named Epworth Hall (previously Winton House), which was sold by Wesley College Dublin. [12] [13] [14] [15]
The squash facilities constructed in 1972 as part of the new Appian Way complex include six courts, one of which is an exhibition court, with seating for a large number of spectators.
The Irish Open Tennis Championships continued to be played at Wilton Place until 1972, [16] when they moved to the new venue at Appian Way.
From its foundation in 1877, membership of Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club was restricted to men. This changed in 1996 when members voted by a large majority to rescind the rule excluding women as members. The first women to become members were former top-ranked Irish tennis/squash players Geraldine Barniville, Heather Flinn and Mary Fitzgibbon who were elected as Honorary Life members. In 2016, Helen Shields was the first woman to be elected President of the club. By 2023, women comprised a significant proportion of the club’s more than 2,000 members.
The promotion of Junior tennis has always been important for Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club. The club promoted the first Junior Championships of Ireland for boys in 1912 and for girls in 1923. A Centenary celebration took place in 2014 when a very large attendance, including former competitors from around the world, returned to celebrate what has become known as ‘Junior Fitz’. These Championships are the most significant event on the Irish Junior circuit and, probably uniquely in world tennis, Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club has hosted this prestigious event continuously since its inception.
Fitzwilliam participates in the Dublin Lawn Tennis Council and Leinster Squash Leagues and has several longstanding annual fixtures with other leading clubs, including the All England Lawn Tennis Club (Wimbledon), the Queen’s Club, Public Schools Old Boys LTA, the Jesters, UK Veterans, Belfast Boat Club, Carrickmines and Lansdowne LTC. In 2005, Fitzwilliam joined The Association of Centenary Tennis Clubs (CTC), an umbrella group of tennis clubs more than 100 years old. The association has a worldwide membership and is recognised by The International Tennis Federation (ITF). Fitzwilliam also has reciprocal membership agreements with many leading overseas tennis/squash clubs.
Famous visitors to the club have included many of the world’s best tennis and squash players as well as celebrities such as Princess Grace of Monaco in 1965 [17] and her son Prince Albert in 2021.
The Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club has organised many notable tournaments throughout the years.
Harold Segerson Mahony was a Scottish-born Irish tennis player who is best known for winning the singles title at the Wimbledon Championships in 1896. His career lasted from 1888 until his death in 1905. Mahony was born in Scotland but lived in Ireland for the majority of his life; his family were Irish including both of his parents, the family home was in County Kerry, Southwestern Ireland. He was the last Scottish born man to win Wimbledon until the victory of Andy Murray at the 2013 championships.
The Irish Open and originally known as the Irish Championships or Irish Lawn Tennis Championships, and for sponsorship reasons also known as Carroll's Irish Open Championships was a men's and women's tennis tournament held at the Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club in Dublin, Ireland. Before the creation of the International Lawn Tennis Federation and the establishment of its world championship events in 1913, it was considered by players and historians one of the four most important tennis tournaments to win. the others being Wimbledon, the U.S. National championships and the Northern Championships. The men's event was part of the pre-open era tour from inception until 1967. It was then part of the open era non-aligned independent tour (1968–69). From 1970 to 1974, it was an event on the Grand Prix tennis circuit. The women's event was on the same tours as the men except for when it became part of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Tour from 1971 to 1973. The men's edition was played until 1979, and the women's ended in 1983 when they both ceased to part of the top level world tennis circuit.
Mount Pleasant Square is a Georgian garden square on the border of Rathmines and Ranelagh, in the city of Dublin, Ireland. It is about a twenty-five minute walk from Grafton Street.
The Northern Lawn Tennis Club, or simply The Northern, is a members-owned sporting club in West Didsbury, Manchester. It was home to the prestigious Northern Championships considered one of the most important tournaments in the world for many years. the others being Wimbledon, the U.S. National championships and the Irish Championships It is now the venue for the Manchester Trophy, is played on the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Women's Circuit.
Ruth Durlacher was an Irish tennis player. She played in the Wimbledon championships between 1897 and 1907.
The 1877 men's tennis season was composed of 5 tournaments for the second edition pre-open era lawn tennis season. Before the birth of Open Era (tennis), most tournaments were reserved for amateur athletes. In 1874 British Major Walter Clopton Wingfield patented with the House of London Crafts the invention of a new game, which consisted of a shaped field hourglass, divided in the middle by a suspended net. The game was packaged in a box containing some balls, four paddles, the net components and the signs to mark the field. The game was based on the rules of the old real tennis and, at the suggestion of Arthur Balfour, was called lawn-tennis. The official date of birth of the court would be February 23, 1874. In 1877 all were amateur tournaments, among them was the first 1877 Wimbledon Championship, the inaugural event was held from 9 to 19 July and saw as the inaugural winner Spencer Gore. The tournament would remain for a period of 35 years the sole major tennis tournament in the world until the International Lawn Tennis Federation introduces its three World championship series events in 1913 that continue until 1923, when the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association only agrees to join the ILTF on the basis of two compromises: the title 'World Championships' would be abolished and wording would be 'for ever in the English language'. Wimbledon would still retain its prestigious and historical status, and become one of the four Grand Slam tennis events from 1924.
The 1878 men's tennis season was composed of the third annual pre-open era tour. It now incorporated 15 tournaments staged in Great Britain and Ireland the Wimbledon championships was won by challenger Patrick Francis Hadow defeating the defending champion Spencer Gore.
The 1879 men's tennis season was composed of the fourth annual pre-open era tennis season and incorporated 26 tournaments. The 1879 Wimbledon Championships was won by John Hartley defending champion Patrick Francis Hadow, defending champion could not participate in the Challenge Round. This year saw the inaugural Irish Championships that in its early stages of development was considered as important that of the Wimbledon Championships the event was won by Vere St. Leger Goold who defeated in Charles David Barry in the final by Charles David Barry 8–6, 8–6. Important this year was the staging of six hard court tournaments some of which included the Dublin University Championships the East Gloucestershire Championships held in Cheltenham Great Britain, Nice Tennis Tournament in Nice, France and the first tournament to be held outside of Europe in Australia with the Victorian Championships.
Thomas Chaytor was an Irish tennis player. He was Irish Lawn tennis Championships finalist in 1894 losing to Joshua Pim. He was a semi finalist at the 1894 Wimbledon Championships in the men's singles event and a quarter finalist in the men's doubles event. He won seven career titles out of fifteen finals.
The South of Ireland Open Tennis Championship originally called the South of Ireland Championships first established in 1876 and also known as the Limerick Cup is a grass court tennis tournament that features both men's and women's competitions that is currently an official tour event of Tennis Ireland. It is held at the Limerick Lawn Tennis Club in Limerick, County Limerick, Ireland. The championships is the world's second oldest surviving tennis tournament after Wimbledon but the only event to have been staged continuously for the last 141 years.
The County Kildare Open Tennis Championship, originally known as the County Kildare Tennis Tournament (1879–1880), then County Kildare Championship, is grass court tennis tournament held initially at Naas, County Kildare, in Ireland, established on 2 August 1881.
1876 Women's Tennis Season was mainly composed of national and local amateur tournaments. This year two tennis events were staged in Dublin, Ireland and Hamilton, Bermuda between April and December 1876.
The 1877 Women's Tennis Season was mainly composed of national, regional, local amateur tournaments. This year 3 tennis events were staged in Dublin, Limerick and Waterford, Ireland between April and September 1877
The 1879 Women's Tennis season was mainly composed of national, regional, county, local regular amateur tournaments. This year, seven tennis events for women were staged, four of them in Ireland and two events in England between April and October 1879.
The All Ireland Lawn Tennis Championships. or simply called The Irish Championships was a Victorian period combined men's and women's grass court tennis tournament first staged July 1876. This event was organised by the All Ireland Lawn Tennis Club that was under auspices of the Irish Champion Athletic Club (I.C.A.C.). The tournament was held at Champion Ground, Lansdowne, Dublin, Ireland. The championships ended around 1878.
The Irish Hard Court Championships was an early combined men's and women's clay court tennis tournament founded in 1924. The first championships was played at the Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club, Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland. The tournament ran annually for fifteen editions until 1973.
1880 Women's Tennis season was mainly composed of national, regional, county, local regular amateur tournaments. This year, 13 tennis events for women were staged, one in India, three of them in Ireland and nine events in England between May and October 1880.
The Fitzwilliam Club Championships also known as the Fitzwilliam Club Tennis Championships was a combined men's and women's grass court tennis tournament founded in 1884. The championship was an open club event organised by the Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club, Dublin, Republic of Ireland. The tournament ran until 2003.
The 1876 men's tennis season was the first edition of the pre-open era men's tennis seasons consisting of just 2 tournaments. It began on 22 July in Dublin, Ireland and ended on 15 September in Limerick, Ireland.
Fitzwilton House was a brutalist concrete and steel office block in Dublin, Ireland completed in 1969 and demolished in October 2018.
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