Tullamore Tennis club celebrates 50th anniversary of Guinness World Record

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the setting of a Guinness World Record of 55 hours for a Men's Doubles Tennis Match at Tullamore Tennis Club.

It was a major event at the time with many leading people in the town showing their support. The Tribune covered the historic event and took some pictures which were featured in the paper. RTE is also believed to have attended. The players didn't have floodlights then so used car headlights to light their play.

A picture from a report on the Tribune showed Guinness World Record Breakers L-R: Brian McSweeney, Dermot Burke, Liam Hoctor and Mick Shelly. Taken in 1975 after playing continuously for 55 hours.

Tullamore Tennis Club are marking the occasion with a special day on June 29 where the players will reunite and a plaque will be unveiled after a a tournament in memory of Anne Coughlan.

The Tribune covered the event in the following report: Unfortunately we don't have the name of the reporter.

Tullamore players seek world title

''Just after the above picture was taken, a few minutes before 11am on Tuesday, the four players seen here resting on their coffin, went on court at the Tullamore Tennis Club grounds Arden.

At the time of writing, almost 24 hours later they were still going strong having played throughout the night, with breaks of only 5 minutes, per hour and they were facing into a further 25 hours and 10 minutes in their bid to set a new world record for a marathon tennis match.

Warming Up

Twice during the first 24 hours a Midland Tribune reporter called to the arena. At 1.10am on Wednesday the quartet were hard at play under the floodlights. Mick Shelly and Liam Hoctor versus Dermot Burke and Brian McSweeney. We're only warming up'' declared Mick Shelly.

Arriving with refreshments, Tadgh Lambe, a leading member of the club and probably the outstanding player in the Midlands was glad to see that the title-seekers were conserving their physical resources by playing at a moderately normal pace. ''At 6 o'clock this evening.'' he said,''they were going at it as if they were playing the final of a men's doubles championship.''

On another visit later the same morning, at 9.30am , the players were still in fine fettle. Three were having refreshments and a chat at a table beside the court, while Brian McSweeney, walking across from the pavilion with a surprising amount of spring in his step, responded to the call of Liam Hoctor, giving the count-down for resumption 25 seconds to go.

And 25 seconds later, the four were back in action. In between strokes, Dermot Burke and Co reported having been nearly swept off the court by a wind driven rainstorm at about 4.10am a cold shower which no doubt would have been even more appreciated if it had occurred during the heat of the day.

Not in Relays

Incidentally, contrary to the impression which appears to have got around, the players are not operating in relays. The same four are on court all the time. Up to 9.30am on Wednesday, they had played a total of 32 sets. Anyone who has ever played a hard three-set match will have a fair idea of what that represents.

In order to establish a new record, the players will have to continue playing until 1.05pm on Thursday. They are hoping to raise at least £1,000.

In aid of the club improvements in sponsorship of their efforts at so much per hour.

They have been receiving an encouraging measure of support and no doubt the attendance of well wishers will be swelling all the time as the bid continues. If they can complete their task, they certainly will be deserving of every penny of the money raised with such tremendous dedication and endurance. Indeed, to have completed even the first 24 hours represented achievement altogether above and beyond the call of duty.''

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