Tennis was introduced to CYM Sports Club in the early part of the last century. The first reference we found to the Tennis Section was in the Annual Report of 1927/28, where the following comment was made ‘Rome was not built in a day and neither can a Lawn Tennis Section be organised in 24 hours’.  The Tennis Section officially opened on Sunday 28th April 1935. 

Frank McCarthy joined CYMS in 1934 and in 1937 he joined the Tennis Section where he served as Secretary and Captain for many years.  He had fond memories of the old Pavilion.  The Club was a great place to meet a future husband or wife and indeed he met his wife there.  The hall had a maple floor which was brilliant for dancing to piano music and the Sunday night dances were famous.  Frank remembers going shopping for prizes to a Pawnbroker’s in Charlemont Street.  The prizes are almost unimaginable today. 

Originally the winner was allowed keep the trophy which was made of silver.  The Bergin Trophy which is in the shape of the Ardagh Chalice  was originally a Men’s Championship Singles Cup .  It was won in 1941 by Billy Bergin, who finally presented it as a perpetual Trophy for the Ladies.  The Keegan Cup was presented by Joe Keegan’s widow.  Joe had a grocer’s shop near Leonard’s Corner and for about 30 years he supplied the ‘tennis teas’.  These were delivered by bicycle!

Noel Lennon who also served as Secretary and Captain in the Club remembers many changes  in the Tennis Section over the years.  In the early days there were six grass courts – four in the front and two in the back with two hard courts also in the back.  There was no floodlighting in the early 60’s .  When the season ended on the 1st Sunday in September, the grass courts were closed, re-sodding would take place and only the odd game would be played on the hard courts during the winter. 

 As th grass courts started to deteriorate the next big decision was to replace them with hard courts.  In april 1956 it was decided to ask the Grounds Committee for permission to go ahead with the work on the hard courts (at a cost of €4.44).  There was not enough money at the time to do the back courts. The weather had been the worst in the history of the Section.  The report of every AGM opened with some reference to the weather until the introduction of all the hard courts. The tennis members agreed to pay a levy and the proceeds of this were used to lay four coloured tarmacadem courts at the back. 

Years later all the courts were replaced.  September 1982 saw the official opening of the new Tennisquik hard courts and the floodlighting system  and although it was a joyous occasion it was tinged with sadness as it heralded the end of an era for grass court tennis. 

We now have seven all weather artificial courts with floodlights.  A comfortable bar open every night with reasonable priced drinks.  large changing rooms with shower facilites and a private car-park. The downstairs bar has outdoor tables overlooking the grounds.  It is hard to imagine a more pleasant place to enjoy a drink on a summer eveinig in Terenure.