BRUD SLATTERY died yesterday, aged 80. He was a former amateur international and South of Ireland champion, who served for 30 years as secretary of Lahinch GC, yet behind those cold facts, was a figure of immense charm and generosity of spirit, unmatched in Irish golf.
Indeed it will be difficult to imagine Lahinch without Brud. He loved the club and had a great affection for those who graced its marvellous terrain, whether they happened to be rivals from his competitive days, or products of its more recent development as a major tourist amenity.
He was a wonderful communicator, a gift undoubtedly developed as a teacher in the south Galway school of Ardrahan and later in Doolin, Co Clare. Born in Lahinch in 1916, his baptismal name of Austin was replaced by Brud at an early age. And given his surroundings, it was inevitable he would become steeped in golf, thrilling as a lad to heroic tales of the South of Ireland Championship, which he would later grace with distinction.
After being elected to the committee of Lahinch in 1948 he was appointed secretary of the club in 1954 and held the post until his retirement in 1984. His distinguished service was acknowledged four years later when he was honoured as president of the club before he went on to be captain in 1992, its centenary year.
I first met him about 30 years ago during trips to Lahinch for the South of Ireland. At that stage, press facilities were spartan in the extreme and Brud, whose efforts at promoting the "South" gave him a great understanding of newspapers, did much to improve our lot before his retirement.
Meanwhile, he took a key role in the development of the Castle Course which was ready for play in 1975, and in modernising the clubhouse and car park.
Though he holds the unique distinction of having his name inscribed 10 times on the Munster Senior Cup, his greatest success was to win the "South" in 1947 when he thrashed the great John Burke by 6 and 5 in the final. Burke was going for seven in a row at the time but Brud stunned him with six threes in succession, from the eighth to the 13th.
"It was a pleasure to beat him and pay for the party, even though it cost me 14 guineas, which was two weeks' wages at the time," Brud later recalled. And he accepted responsibility for Lahinch's famous barometer which, in place of the traditional hands, carries the cryptic message "See Goats".
It seems that when the barometer broke, Brud took it home to try and repair it. His best efforts, however, were to no avail and in frustration, he wrote the message "See Goats" which has become a talking point among tourists ever since. "I had the idea that the damn goats ran for the shelter of the clubhouse in bad weather," he explained. "People's imaginations did the rest. Indeed I came to believe it myself".
Mention of Brud's name is invariably accompanied by an affectionate smile and perhaps an amusing anecdote. He was truly one of a kind. Ar dheis De go raibh a anam.
