The Earl of Wessex, Prince Edward, will not visit a 19th century real tennis court during his visit to Dublin this month.
A keen follower of real tennis, the prince expressed an interest in visiting the court off Earlsfort Terrace, which the OPW is to turn into a recital hall for the NCH.
However, a British embassy spokesman said last night the prince will now only attend the opening of a conference at Dublin Castle on August 27th and then return home. "There were a number of other suggested places he might visit but these have not been taken up," the spokesman said.
Irish Real Tennis Association chairman, Mr Mike Bolton, said the prince's private secretary had contacted him regarding the visit to the court. "He will not now be visiting it for fear of causing an embarrassment to the Irish authorities," Mr Bolton said.
The British embassy spokesman said the visit to the tennis court had never been agreed and so it was not true to suggest it had been cancelled for fear of embarrassing the authorities.
Real tennis is played in an enclosed court with the ball being played off the walls.
The marble-lined court is used as a laboratory by UCD.