Ada O'Sullivan and Pauline Martin made Life Honorary members of ILGU
Pauline Martin
Ada O'Sullivan and Pauline Martin were made Life Honorary members of the ILGU at the 12th Annual General Meeting on Saturday.
President of Monkstown Golf Club, Ada O'Sullivan represented Munster at girls level in 1980 and 1981 before playing on the women's team for 15 years from 1982 to1997.
She was the first winner of the Girlie Hegarty Trophy in 1994.
She represented Ireland at the Girls' Home Internationals in 1980 in 1981 before going on to play on the Women's Home International Team seven times between 1982 and 1997 and in the Women's European Team Championships in 1993, 1994 and 1995.
Monkstown’s Ada O’Sullivan
She was also the winner of the 72-hole Sherry Cup in 1994.
Following her playing career, she captained the Girls' Home International Team in 1999 and 2000 and the Under 21 team at the European Championship in 2000.
She would go on to become the first High Performance Director on the ILGU Board in 2010.
She captained Great Britain and Ireland in the Espirito Santo Trophy in Malaysia in 2002, the Curtis Cup in 2004 and 2006 and the Vagliano Trophy in 2003 and 2005, winning the latter at County Louth.
"Ada is a very capable, strong, fun-loving person who - when asked to take on a responsible task - takes it on with great enthusiasm and leaves no stone unturned to make it a success," ILGU President Brigid McCaw said at the presentation.
Pauline Martin began her golfing life in Killiney Golf Club in the 1960s and moved to Woodbrook Golf Club in the 1970s so she could play competitive weekend golf.
She quickly reduced her handicap to single figures, and she became a regular player on the Woodbrook Senior Cup team, competing regularly in Scratch Cups around the country.
In the 1990s, Pauline captained two successful Leinster Women's Interprovincial Teams and in 2003 was the captain of the first Irish Women's Senior International team, when the matches were played at Wittington Barracks.
She again captained the 2004 Senior Women's Team when the matches were played in Kilkeel Golf Club.
In addition to a busy golfing life, Pauline had a hugely successful career in banking with AIB.
In the 1980's she made headline news when she was appointed as the first female Bank Manager in Ireland.
She served on what was then known as the Irish ILGU Council, and over many years contributed to the game as a Rules Official and a Leinster and Irish Selector.
"Throughout her golfing career Pauline has always supported and encouraged women and girls to develop their potential in golf, President McCaw said.
"Most importantly, she encouraged the enjoyment of the game and the making of new friendships.
To this day you will regularly see her on the course, albeit as a spectator, with binoculars in hand, staunchly supporting GB&I, Irish, Woodbrook and Killiney teams playing all over the country and sometimes beyond.
"We are very proud of all our Honorary Life Members and Past Presidents," President McCaw added. "I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for being, as it were, 'on-call' and for their willingness to share their experiences and sound knowledge."
