The Boat

Artist - Tony McCarthy, Painted 1972, Island Member

Being the Island the last leg of the journey to play golf was by boat. It would be safe to say that the boat was the weakest link in the entire operation of the golf links.

There are many stories about the boat, the boatmen, the order of embarkation and the priority thereof. When the boat took a party of golfers to the Island they were entirely dependent on it for the return journey.

Often it happened that the weather conditions deteriorated while golfers were "out" and they had to return home by Swords which is the common means of travel today but was a huge journey in the early part of the twentieth century.

The signal to the boatman to collect golfers was a large red and white disc which was hinged in the centre and could be seen from the shore. When the disc was in the closed position it was green and blended in with the side wall of the Clubhouse.