This is Patrick Merrigan who was born here and whose work as a course architect ensure a lasting and elevated place in the history of Irish golf. His story is worth telling.

His name is on over 40 Irish courses, and two in Germany, either as designer or redesigner, including household names such as Faithlegg, Slieve Russell, Tulfarris and, of course, his beloved Woodenbridge. An impressive list by any standard and amazing for a man who did not start playing until age 28.

Of farming stock, his first job was as a third-level lecturer in agronomy and soil science in Australia. A useful background in view of what was to follow. While there, the golf bug bit. Every morning at 6am he was out at Horsham Golf Club and hitting 100 balls while watching Bruce Devlin, who was to go on and win 38 professional events (including eight in America) and design over 140 courses. Those sessions helped give him a radar for assessing the merits of a shot and its relation to land.

Back in Dublin in 1971 he learned there was a great links being built in Waterville, so he set off to present himself at the home of IrishAmerican millionaire John A Mulcahy. Mulcahy was intrigued by the young man who had come so far to talk golf and grass. Within the hour he wanted to show his nascent links to his visitor.

They walked the land for hours, Mulcahy thrilling at the way every grass and plant could be named by his new friend. The upshot of it was that Merrigan stayed to supervise the construction and grow-in of the links.

This brought Merrigan into contact with the legendary Eddie Hackett. "When he walked and gave instructions he always smiled. His knowledge was impressive. He was unfailingly considerate. But he could show an inner steel if I made the mistake of suggesting a design thought . . . "I would prefer if you would leave that to me, " he would joke, "moving along."

Merrigan was happy to observe and learn lessons which have stood him in good stead in the 30 years since.

The time at Waterville was to provide the springboard into his design career as Paul Mulcahy was an initial partner with John O'Connor at the Old Head of Kinsale and club professional Liam Higgins was an intermediary there. His first major solo design was at Harbour Point beside the famed Cork Golf Club. Then came the call to Old Head where Hackett had done the preliminary work but was reaching the end of his career. Merrigan laboured for three years, routing and shaping grass to grow in a most inhospitable location.

He was joined by Joe Carr, Ron Kirby and Liam Higgins but his mark is all over a world-renowned course.

He was well and truly underway now and Faithlegg was his next job. This proved a great commercial success as it became the first Merrigan course to host professional events. The PGA imprint has been given, also, to his works at Slieve Russell and Tulfarris.

He was introduced to the Slieve Russell project by Donal Higgins and this proved a most rewarding experience as he forged a great relationship with Sean Quinn. It seemed Merrigan held appeal for strong men of commerce as he gained the respect of two Irish giants in Mulcahy and Quinn.

The defining moment in Cavan came when Merrigan asked Quinn, a non-golfer at the time, what type of course he wanted. The site was small, hilly and with some wetlands, so it was important to be clear as Merrigan could see a big hotel being built but not a great course.

Quinn didn't understand.

"Do you want a Mini or a Mercedes?" asked Merrigan. Now they were on the same wavelength as Quinn embarked on a mission to give his designer every support he could, even to the point of acquiring ordnance survey maps and purchasing every inch of land that was needed.

This was an ultimate example of the trust golf course developers place in architects. "I was amazed at the courage of the man, " says Merrigan. "He had such trust.

He gave everything to the project. He had great men help me. He learned fast and I was determined not to fail."

It was to Germany, then, to build two courses at Gutneuhof and Badorb. By now the Merrigan style was established, his confidence had grown and it showed to marvellous effect at Tulfarris where Jim Hayes replicated the Quinn approach, supporting his designer with spectacular results. They produced what could be described as the Killarney of the east. Tulfarris is a place of stunning beauty as it sits on a shelf between the Wicklow Hills and Blessington Lake. A total canvass for golf.

The result is one of the most spectacular and lovely three-hole finishes to be found in world golf. Merrigan will have to labour hard to create a more lasting monument to his genius.

All of that is past, of course, but Merrigan is about to make news again soon as his work at Castle Dargan in Sligo is unveiled. He started conceptuals here as far back as 1999, established the routing and worked through the planning before getting down to serious building in 2003.

From the start it was clear that this was a lovely course in the making.

It will get lots of publicity, too, as Darren Clarke was added to the design ticket last year and Merrigan describes him as an inspirational figure to all who meet him.

Meanwhile, Merrigan retreats to his Woodenbridge haven every weekend and ponders textures, hues, shapes, the river and shadows. So in love is he with the whole life he leads that he is determined to stay on even after death and has requested permission to have his ashes spread behind the 14th