Capital grants reflect the rise of padel
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The rise and rise of padel in Ireland is reflected in the grant allocations announced by government today under the Community Sport Facilities Fund.
In all, €230m in grants have promised to sports clubs for facilities investment. And the fast-growing sport of padel has been granted several parcels of funding for new courts.
Castlebar Tennis Club gets €99,330 towards installing wheelchair access and padel courts.
Douglas Lawn Tennis Club in Cork gets €58,137 for padel courts.
Castleknock Lawn Tennis Club in Dublin gets €86,868 for two padel courts.
Charleville Lawn Tennis Club gets €117,167 for padel courts and a multi-sport area
Glasnevin Lawn Tennis Club gets €102,518 for "system replacement, roof repair, and padel tennis".
Ballinagare Health & Leisure Community Centre in Roscommon has been allocated €68,311 for a double padel call court.
Greystones Lawn Tennis Club will get €120,427 for a "junior Coach area, two padel courts and the refurbishment of three tennis courts.
The sport, much like tennis, but surrounded by a glass wall like a squash court, has grown in popularity due to the ease with which players can master the basic skills, Yvonne Dolan, CEO of Padel Courts Ireland, told the Irish Examiner last year.
“It’s very easy to walk onto a court young or old and pick it up very quickly and have fun. It’s a smaller court, you don’t have to move around as much, so you don’t have to be as fit. The smaller court makes it more sociable because you can chat and have a laugh as the point is taking place.”
It is thought that the sport started in Mexico in 1969 and is particularly popular in Spain.