Kildare woman recalls grandparents working at original K Club over 80 years ago

A Kildare town resident has recalled her grandparents worked at the original Straffan House property which later became the K Club.

Mary Kavanagh (nee Donovan) spoke to Siobhan Donohoe of Iconic Media at the Irish Open golf tournament this week.

The Barton family owned Straffan House for over 200 years until it was sold in 1949. After passing through a number of owners, the property was re-opened as the K Club in 1991.

Mary said: "It was the original Barton estate at the time and my grandfather worked with the plough horses and my granny would work at the events and cook and serve.

"Mrs Barton was very good with all the employees. If anybody was sick, she would arrive at the door with what they needed. And at Christmas, every child of the employees received a wrapped present - and that was something else at that time."

When asked what the thought the Barton family and her grandparents would think of the modern K Club, Mary said: "I think they would be impressed.

"They are maintaining it really well and letting everybody in the world see it. It still looks largely as it did originally."