Sir, - I read with interest the article by Frank McDonald, your Environment Correspondent (May 22nd) about the former real tennis court in Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin, and the letter by Deasmhumhain Mac Gearailt (May 28th), in which he mentions the "teiniscuirt", in the 1609 account by Tadhg O Cianain.
For over four years now, I have tried to research real tennis courts in Ireland, and am writing this letter, partly as one of the historians of Cairde na Leadoige, or Friends of the Guinness Real Tennis Court, and partly as the representative in the North of the Tennis (Real Tennis) and Rackets Association.
The earliest reference to real tennis in Ireland I have come across was in Galway City in the 16th century, when it was associated with a certain amount of gambling, the indentures of Galway apprentices often being phrased to counter this problem. There are 17th century mentions of real tennis courts, including one in Kilkenny City, just off St James's Street. There were several courts in Dublin, described as for real tennis, including one in St Thomas's Street, rather better known for an early 17th century fight on it between two members of the nobility. The Wine-tavern Street/Dame Street area, largely rebuilt after the disastrous gunpowder explosion in 1597, has several courts recorded by the 17th and 18th centuries, and the remains of one of these survived until comparatively recent times. Such was the popularity of the game, that there were two courts built to the North-East of the main buildings of Trinity College in the 1970s, one on the margin of the College grounds, and the other on Lazer's Hill (now Townsend Street), the latter a particularly grand structure. These two courts, unfortunately, did not survive early 19th century street extensions, though the name of a narrow laneway, as "Tennis Court", lived on.
The court built for Sir Edward Guinness (later the first Earl of Iveagh) in 1884-5, behind his residence at 80 St Stephen's Green, with its walls and floor slabs of black, lime-rich Galway marble, the subject of the present controversy, is the last remaining roofed tennis court in Ireland (there is an open-air one, in private hands, on Lambay Island, Co Dublin, built in 1922). I feel that it would be most unfortunate if any proposed alterations to this building interfered with possible future play of real tennis there.
I might add that a contemporary, writing of the court in 1890, said: "The effect on the human eye is superb. Fancy a grand room (about 95ft by 30ft) in the softest black, lighted from the top, and with all the appointments perfect! A sight not only for human eyes, but for the gods!"
Real tennis is a sport increasing in popularity in England, Australia and America, and, on my visits to London, the courts appear to be heavily booked. In the Summer, enthusiasts in the south of England even travel up to Fifeshire in Scotland at weekends to play on the 460 year-old open air court at Falkland Palace. - Yours, etc., Andrew Steven,
Beechill Avenue,
Belfast 8.