The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Simon Coveney performed the official opening of Padel Tennis Ireland on Saturday morning at the newly established 15,000 square foot facility at Fota Junction in Carrigtwohill. The Minister delivered a speech congratulating the founders of the facility Mark White and Jeremy Coyle and acknowledging the many benefits for people and organisations of the world’s fastest growing sport. The facility consists of four indoor panoramic Padel courts with advance plans for four more courts to the rear of the building.
Over 1,000 people visited the facility on its launch day to see and experience what Padel is all about. In the afternoon, the Cathaoirleach of Seanad Eireann Senator Jerry Buttimer, David Stanton TD and Cllr Anthony Barry jointly performed the community opening of Padel Tennis Ireland with many organisations represented from the civic, disability, diversity and inclusiveness sectors of Cork and Munster.
Pictures by Erick Stack
The founders of Padel Tennis Ireland, Mark White and Jeremy Coyle have extensive backgrounds in tennis and Padel and saw the opportunity to bring Padel to Cork and want their facility in 2024 to be the largest Padel facility in Ireland with eight courts. Private and group coaching from expert coaches is now available at Padel tennis Ireland and their pro shop is now open with a fantastic range of clothing, Padels and accessories in stock including the Bjorn Borg range of clothing which is exclusive in Ireland to Padel Tennis Ireland.
Padel was invented in 1969 by Enrique Corcuera in Acapulco, Mexico and in 1974, Padel was introduced to Spain by Prince Alfonso of Hohenhole, who built two courts at his Marbella Club Hotel. Padel is a game for four people and is for everyone and of every age and skill level and is fun and social as well as being as competitive as people want it to be for themselves and their fellow players.
