Ireland's Eye: What's going on in the old sod this week

A look at news from around Ireland

These include a bathroom ceiling caving in while a child was in a bath and a house which floods every time the dishwasher is turned on.

When contacted for a comment, Kildare County Council made the following statement: “The

Building and Development Control section of our Planning Department has been liaising with the receiver in this case. As a result the receiver has indicated that they are preparing tender documents for completion of outstanding works in the estate.  It is anticipated that the tender documents will issue at the end of June.”

Kildare Nationalist

Two Holes in One

MOST golfers spend the best part of their sporting life trying to get a hole-in-one -- and then Gerry Guckian goes and gets two in one round.

The 49-year-old beat odds of 67,000,000/1 to pull off the amazing feat during a competition at his home club of Greencastle Golf Club in Donegal on Sunday.

Guckian, a father of three, hit his first hole-in-one at the par three ninth. He had barely recovered from the shock when, just two holes later, he hit a second at the par three 11th.

An elated Guckian, a solicitor in Derry, says he can’t believe what happened. And he wished he had put a bet on himself, as one of his playing partners on the day was a bookie.

"There was some excitement on the golf course and the adrenalin was pumping. I’m over the moon," said Guckian.

The chances of hitting two holes-in-one in a single game is said to be about 67,000,000/1. Winning the Lotto is only about 8,000,000/1.

His playing partners on the day included bookie Tommy McBride, Hugh Casey, and his younger brother Neil, the captain of the club in the Inishowen peninsula.

"We believe it is the first time this has happened in the club’s 120-year history," said Neil Guckian.

"We will be contacting the Golfing Union of Ireland in due course to find out if it is the first time it has happened in Ireland."

Gerry Guckian, who has been playing golf since he was a child, has enjoyed three holes-in-one over the years. But two in one round was beyond his wildest dreams.

He plays off a 14 handicap. His lucky ball on Sunday was a Titleist 4. He used a five iron on the 180-yard ninth and a seven iron on the 190-yard 11th. He carded a respectable 39 points overall in the competition.

The Examiner

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