Borris has plans to extend its lovely nine-hole course to 18 but has had to stop and talk about the future of the pearl mussels found on the property. Hopefully, all will be well for both parties as scientific documents show the pearl mussel is found in more locations around the country than the game of golf.

Ironically, the club is celebrating its centenary this year and there is every possibility some of these mussels have been around since the first ball was struck there as they are known to have a lifespan in excess of 100 years with a prolonged fertility span lasting well into old age.

The fact the mussels are still living close by would indicate the golfers are more interested in birdies than pearls. Whereas Caesar is said to have returned to Rome with a breastplate covered in British pearls, his men having had a greater interest in fishing, the golfers have not been known to come home with bags of booty.

Patience is a virtue in these matters and the Borris people, having enjoyed life on nine-holes for so long, are far from fazed and are getting on with celebrating their centenary with gusto on the delightful lands of the McMurrough-Kavanaghs, who were the high kings of Leinster and whose descendant Andrew Kavanagh is making the land available.

Olivia O'Leary, whose brother Arthur is chairman of the centenary committee, launched the celebrations on 3 March when supervising the planting of memorial trees, the raising of the centenary flag and the symbolic release of 100 balloons.

The club has joined the Society of 2007 Centenarian Golf Clubs in Britain and Ireland along with about 40 of the 60-something clubs reaching their 100th birthday this year. One of the neat ideas involved in this society is that members of each club are welcome to play one free round, subject to availability, on each of the other courses.

Already Boris has hosted a group of 16 from the Merchants of Edinburgh club.

Borris has always been well regarded and was a focal point for many great competitors who visited for the annual Junior Scratch Cup back in the 1960s. It was there that the late Pat Mulcaire, later to be a Walker Cup regular, came to prominence with his first victory of note.

It is good to hear efforts are to be made to bring this event back to its former glory.