Carne Golf Links: Where Irish Heritage Meets the Game of Golf | John Garrity

Award-winning golf writer and longtime Sports Illustrated senior writer John Garrity joins The Irish Snug Podcast for a journey into Irish golf, family history and the wild Atlantic landscape of County Mayo.John’s acclaimed book, Ancestral Links: A Golf Obsession Spanning Generations, traces the game of golf through his family and across Ireland, Scotland and America. At the heart of the story is Belmullet—the remote Mayo town his great-grandfather left during the Famine—and the extraordinary Carne Golf Links, built among some of the most dramatic dunes in Ireland.John shares the emotional story of first arriving in Belmullet in 1989, meeting members of the Garrity family and standing near the place where his ancestor boarded a small boat to begin his journey to America. He explains how those discoveries inspired his return to Mayo, his Sports Illustrated feature and ultimately Ancestral Links.We also explore the oral histories of the Mullet Peninsula, Irish emigration to Wisconsin, changing family surnames, the importance of recording our elders’ stories and the remarkable community effort that created Carne Golf Links with little more than shovels, rakes and determination.For golfers, John offers an unforgettable tour of Carne: its towering dunes, Atlantic winds, original Eddie Hackett design, legendary 17th-hole challenge and the advice every visitor should hear before playing links golf in Ireland.EPISODE CHAPTERS• 00:00:00 – Introduction to John Garrity and Ancestral Links• 00:03:32 – Discovering his family connection to Belmullet• 00:05:05 – John’s first journey to Ireland in 1989• 00:07:19 – Irish surnames, immigration and changing spellings• 00:12:10 – When Irish ancestry becomes a personal calling• 00:16:39 – Arriving in Belmullet and meeting the Garrity family• 00:18:30 – History and storytelling on the Mullet Peninsula• 00:20:00 – Standing where his great-grandfather left for America• 00:22:01 – Mayo emigrants and their journey to Wisconsin• 00:27:12 – Why preserving family stories matters• 00:31:12 – How Ancestral Links became a book• 00:32:15 – John’s golfing family and Sports Illustrated career• 00:34:13 – Belmullet’s transformation through the Celtic Tiger era• 00:37:20 – The majesty of Carne Golf Links and its towering dunes• 00:41:04 – Golf as a bridge between generations• 00:42:00 – Other great links courses in northwest Ireland• 00:43:29 – Irish banter and a memorable first tee at Carne• 00:48:34 – The right mindset for playing links golf• 00:52:07 – Five months living, researching and golfing in Mayo• 00:54:21 – The legendary 18-ball challenge on Carne’s 17th hole• 01:00:01 – The solitude and spirituality of evening golf• 01:00:59 – John’s favorite holes on the original Hackett course• 01:07:37 – Carne earns recognition among the world’s best courses• 01:09:46 – Belmullet pubs, music and the famous “Lobster Pot”• 01:13:03 – Céide Fields and the North Mayo cliffs• 01:16:03 – Blacksod Lighthouse, D-Day and the SOLAS Visitor Centre• 01:19:04 – International Members Week and Carne’s remarkable rise• 01:20:00 – How local farmers built a world-class golf courseLINKS MENTIONED📖 Ancestral Links by John Garrity:⛳ Carne Golf Links:🎥 Carne Golf Links hole-by-hole video playlist:🏌🏻‍♂️First hole - Par 5🏛️ SOLAS Visitor Centre:🌊 Blacksod Lighthouse:About the Podcast:Hosted by a retired FDNY Captain, The Irish Snug Podcast features interviews with a wide range of guests—from pub owners and historians to musicians and local regulars. While it deeply honors Irish and Irish-American roots, the podcast is open to anyone with a compelling story tied to Irish culture, pub culture, folklore and history. The episodes often blend personal anecdotes with cultural insights, capturing the "craic" and the timeless tradition of sharing a pint and a tale.#CarneGolfLinks #IrishGolf #CountyMayo #GolfIreland #irishSend us Fan MailSupport the show