Revival and Achievement in the 2010s

Revival and Achievement in the 2010s

The 2010s marked the beginning of a new era for Mayo badminton, combining individual success, growing juvenile participation, and eventually the revival of the county league. The decade began on a high note for youth badminton. In the 2010/2011 season, the Castlebar Classic juvenile competition drew such a large entry that both the De La Salle Hall and An Sportlann had to be used to accommodate the players. That same year David Walsh of Ballina, partnering with Jonathan Dolan of Sligo, won the Irish Under-17 Junior Championship, a significant milestone for the region. Connacht closed competitions also continued to be hosted regularly in Mayo throughout the decade, particularly in Ballina and Castlebar, maintaining the county’s reputation as a strong venue for provincial play.

Mayo players also achieved success at senior level. In 2013, Sean Leahy of Ballina became one of the first players from the county to win a national singles title, claiming the Over-45 Irish Closed Masters singles crown. Jack O’Brien and David Walsh, both from Ballina, were also selected for Irish teams during this period, continuing to raise the profile of Mayo players at national level. Ballina’s strength as a club was further underlined in 2015 when they captured both the Connacht and the All-Ireland Grade G Club titles, a remarkable achievement that highlighted the club’s growing reputation on the national stage.

The most significant development of the decade came in 2017/2018 with the re-establishment of the Mayo Badminton League after a long absence. The new league began with four clubs — Ballina, Crimlin, Crossmolina, and Straide — playing in a seven-game format of singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. The season culminated in a dramatic final between Ballina and Crimlin in Crossmolina Sports Hall. Crimlin emerged as winners and went on to represent Mayo with distinction, securing both the Connacht H and All-Ireland H Championships.

Momentum carried into the following season. In 2018/2019, Newport and Belcarra joined the league, while Crimlin took part as guests after their previous year’s success. The final again took place in Crossmolina, with Ballina defeating Newport to claim the title. They progressed to the Connacht H Championship, reaching the final before narrowly losing to Castlecoote of Roscommon, who later went on to win the All-Ireland H Championship. Crimlin added further distinction to Mayo badminton that season by winning the Connacht G Championship and finishing third in the All-Ireland G series. Individual honours also reached new heights when David Walsh, partnering once more with Jonathan Dolan, won the 2019 Irish Senior National Championship Men’s Doubles. This was the first time a Mayo player had ever claimed a senior national title.

The 2019/2020 season brought another landmark with the launch of the Mayo Closed Championship, hosted at the Ballina Sports Complex. This was the first adult tournament of its kind to be staged in the county in almost two decades and marked an important step in restoring local competition. The league that season featured Belcarra, Crimlin, Newport, Straide, and Ballina, with Ballina once again participating as a guest team. The campaign proved to be the most competitive to date, with Newport and Straide finishing at the top of the table. However, with just one fixture and the league final still to play, the season was cut short by the outbreak of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2010s and early 2020s therefore represented a time of renewal and achievement for Mayo badminton. With the revival of the county league, the return of the Mayo Closed Championship, and successes on both national and All-Ireland stages, the sport had regained momentum after challenging years. However, much of this progress was interrupted as the COVID-19 pandemic brought competitive play to an abrupt halt.