Whitechurch and Waterloo Community Association (WWCA) built a large Sports hall in 1992 and it was in that hall that tennis was first played in Whitechurch. A small group of tennis players enjoyed the indoor tennis so much that the idea of a dedicated outdoor tennis court took hold. WWCA set about fundraising for two floodlit hard-courts. These were built & first played on in August 1995.

Two tarmac courts

Minister Bernard Allen officially opened the courts in 1996.

Official opening of courts, June 1996 – Celeste Foley, sec WWCA, Bernard Allen, TD, Miriam Virling, Chairperson WTC, Jack O’Brien, Chairperson WWCA
Community members enjoyed the first taste of success in competitions like the North Cork League and Regional League. Players undertook coaching and a junior coaching programme also took its first steps.

Winter Tennis Blitz, 1998 – Bernard Lynch, Judy O’Driscoll, Celeste Foley, P J O’Driscoll, Norma Mulcahy, Odran Cafferkey, Miriam Virling, Rita Mulcahy, Margaret Lynch, Cora Humphreys
The next stage in the tennis journey was the installation of a synthetic court surface on the two courts in 2005.

Official opening of synthetic courts, 2005 – Michael Downing, Betty Fitzgerald, Margaret Hyde, Helen O’Leary, Odran Cafferkey
The Junior Coaching programme grew steadily and Whitechurch featured in National Community Games in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

U13 Community Games, 2009 – Back row Peter Blake, Padraic Dennehy, Hugh Woulfe, Con Mulcahy, Cathal Sheehy; Front row Edel Woulfe, Niamh Casey, Máirín Coleman, Louise Dillon, Hannah Humphreys
In the context of its housing developments in the area, Castlelands Constuction purchased lands adjacent to the Community Centre on behalf of WWCA. The additional land provided an ideal opportunity for the expansion of tennis. On a green field site to the west of the entrance, four new courts were built. The original tennis courts provided the ideal site to accommodate a children’s playground.

The Tennis Club added to the facility with a Pavilion overlooking the four courts.

The official opening took place in 2011.

Official opening, 2011 – Jack O’Keeffe, Martina O’Sullivan

Official opening, 2011 – Mary Cronin, Margaret Lynch, Judy O’Driscoll, Martina Cafferkey
An extension to the Pavilion was added in 2017 to accommodate two dressing rooms.
The inaugural Whitechurch Tennis Open was held in 2018. Hundreds of tennis players from other clubs across Munster were welcomed to Whitechurch for the first time.

Whitechurch Senior Doubles Open 2018
Two courts to the north of the Pavilion were built in 2023 bringing the number of tennis courts to six. The official opening took place in May 2024, coinciding with finals day of the Senior Doubles Open.

Courts 5 & 6 under construction

Official opening of Courts 5 & 6, May 2024.

Whitechurch Tennis Club, May 2024