{"id":613071,"date":"2026-05-31T03:27:12","date_gmt":"2026-05-31T03:27:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/613071\/"},"modified":"2026-05-31T03:27:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-31T03:27:12","slug":"how-jp-mcmanus-helped-bring-the-ryder-cup-to-adare-and-put-limerick-on-the-global-stage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/613071\/","title":{"rendered":"How JP McManus helped bring the Ryder Cup to Adare and put Limerick on the global stage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sitting on the banks of the River Maigue, Adare Manor once hosted hunt balls, country fairs and even a Hollywood movie. After JP McManus dared to imagine, the lavish venue won the bid to play host to the 2027 Ryder Cup<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In his native county, not one person was surprised. After all, if anyone was to bring one of the most sought-after sporting events to Limerick\/url], it could only be the man affectionately known was \u2018The Sundance Kid\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere there is a will, there is a way\u201d. Words spoken by McManus over a decade ago, when he shared his hopes the Ryder Cup would once be held in Adare Manor.<\/p>\n

In 2019, his dream came true when he secured the rights to hold the prestigious tournament in Adare with the support of Ireland\u2019s leading golfers and of his dear friend Tiger Woods.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has been a dream of ours that when we acquired the Adare Manor in 2015 that someday we would see a Ryder Cup held here at Adare. So we\u2019re thrilled now that it has become a reality,\u201d McManus said at the time of the announcement.<\/p>\n

It will be the second time Ireland has staged the tournament, after Kildare\u2019s K Club hosted a home victory over the US in 2006. With McManus behind them, the European Tour are working on bringing la cr\u00e8me de la cr\u00e8me to Limerick.<\/p>\n

\u201cJP McManus obviously is a proud Limerick man, hugely passionate about Adare itself, about Limerick. His passion and drive to host the event has certainly given us all a great opportunity to deliver one of the best Ryder Cups that’s ever been staged,\u201d said Richard Atkinson, chief Ryder Cup officer at the European Tour Group.<\/p>\n

Despite being a tax resident in Geneva, McManus retains a strong grip on his roots. He spends part of the year in Ireland, notably in his Martinstown mansion in Kilmallock, although his portfolio extends from Dublin\u2019s Ailesbury Road to the Caribbean.<\/p>\n

One of the most influential figures in the horse racing industry, McManus\u2019 fortune is estimated at \u20ac2.1 billion, but no one seems to know the exact figure.<\/p>\n

\"JPJP McManus at the 2025 Ryder Cup in New York. Picture: Vaughn Ridley\/Sportsfile<\/p>\n

Born in 1951, his formative years were spent in the townland of Ballysheedy, only a few kilometres away from Limerick city. McManus was schooled at CBS Sexton Street.<\/p>\n

The eldest of five boys, he began his career in his father\u2019s construction plant fire firm before becoming a bookmaker at 21. Behind the stand of Limerick\u2019s Market Field greyhound track in the early 70s, he launched his empire.<\/p>\n

Through currency trading and bookmaking, McManus made a fortune for himself. His fearless approach to betting earned him the nickname \u2018The Sundance Kid\u2019; one popularised by sports writer Hugh McIlvanney.<\/p>\n

At the age of 26, he bought his first horse, Cill Dara, which wore McManus\u2019 famous green and gold colours. Hurling mad, he chose the colours as a nod to South Liberties GAA, the Ballyneety club he was the chairman of at the young age of 21.<\/p>\n

McManus is notoriously known for offering slight smiles and retaining a bit of a mystery around\u00a0his private life, despite his exceedingly public profile. Occasionally, he might offer an insight into his love for racing.<\/p>\n

One thing that may dethrone it is his love for Limerick \u2014 and perhaps, its hurling team. With a father from Roscommon and a mother from Louth, his interest for Limerick hurling<\/a> started when he attended junior matches in Caherconlish on Sundays.<\/p>\n

\"USUS Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk (left) and JP McManus (right) at the Munster Hurling match between Limerick and Tipperary at the Gaelic Grounds last week. Picture: INPHO\/Tom Maher<\/p>\n

In 2011, alongside his brother Jerry and GAA officials, he helped establishing the Limerick Underage Hurling Academy, which nurtured many players who would go on to win multiple All-Ireland medals.\u00a0<\/p>\n

When Limerick won the All-Ireland Final at Croke Park in 2018, ending a 45-year wait for the title, McManus was handed the Liam MacCarthy Cup by the hurlers in the dressing room.<\/p>\n

In 2023, the billionaire financier was appointed as Limerick GAA honorary life president. The same year, the McManus family donated \u20ac1m to every county board in Ireland \u2014 distributing a total of \u20ac32m evenly between hurling, camogie, and Gaelic football clubs.<\/p>\n

His hefty donations are not only centred towards the GAA. The JP McManus Benevolent Fund supports non-profit organisations across the Mid-West, ranging from healthcare to education.<\/p>\n

The star-studded JP McManus Pro-Am in 2022 raised \u20ac141m for various initiatives throughout the Mid-West, including the Children\u2019s Grief Centre and Cuan Mhuire, an addiction treatment centre in Bruree.<\/p>\n

Over a cup of tea at the Hunt Museum in Limerick in 2015, McManus co-funded the Team Limerick Cleanup (TLC) with the Irish rugby team’s forwards coach Paul O\u2019Connell and businesswoman Helen O\u2019Donnell.<\/p>\n

\u200a\u201dJP McManus called into my cafe at that time, with Paul O’Connell. We sat down thinking \u2018What could we do?\u2019. By the end of the chat, we\u2019d come up with a one-day cleanup, now on Good Friday.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

In 2024, McManus endorsed Ms O\u2019Donnell when she ran as an Independent candidate to be Limerick\u2019s first directly elected mayor. For over 20 years, she has been a board member of the JP McManus Benevolent Fund \u2014 a \u20ac40m community fund.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would have known the McManus family going back a long time,\u201d Ms O\u2019Donnell told the Irish Examiner. \u201cI\u2019m involved in a lot of environmental and community projects in Limerick City and County, and through those, he (McManus) would have known of my work.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

When the benevolent fund was set up, McManus asked her to become a board member, where she works alongside his daughter Sue Ann.<\/p>\n

Ms O\u2019Donnell said the upcoming Ryder Cup is the \u201csingle biggest event\u201d that will ever be held in Limerick. An accolade \u201ccompletely due to the McManus family\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThey’ve been at the last two Ryder Cups in New York and in Rome. That\u2019s not just to go and enjoy it. It’s to go to see how it’s being run, see how Limerick can do it better,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat’s the type of people that you’re dealing with. Their attention to detail and their commitment to making sure that everything is five-star is quite extraordinary.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n It\u2019s all about Limerick, and selling Limerick to the world.\n <\/p>\n

If there is one thing Ms O\u2019Donnell admires about JP McManus, it\u2019s his loyalty \u2014 particularly to his native county.<\/p>\n

\u200a\u201dHe’s an incredibly loyal person. And that loyalty, is one word I would associate with him, and his extraordinary generosity to all kinds of organisations,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Perhaps it\u2019s because of McManus\u2019 notable love for Limerick that many were left shocked when the local council rejected a \u20ac30m gift in June 2024.<\/p>\n

He offered them the International Rugby Experience (IRE) located on O\u2019Connell Street, and even promised a further \u20ac100,000 to help run the building.<\/p>\n

A gift some said was thrown back \u201cin the face of a Limerick man who has contributed so much\u201d to his county. Behind closed doors at a meeting with the local council, McManus fought back tears as he spoke about his pride of being made a Freeman of the City.<\/p>\n

His address was rare as McManus is known as a rather quiet man.<\/p>\n

In 2009, he was treated for prostate cancer. The next year, he openly spoke to the Limerick Leader about how lucky he felt it had been detected at an early stage.<\/p>\n

Former editor of the Limerick Leader and current associate editor at The Currency, Alan English, interviewed McManus three times.<\/p>\n

\"JPJP McManus (left) and Jim Furyk (right) enjoying the racing in Ballinrobe last year. Picture: Healy Racing<\/p>\n

\u201cThere’s only so much he’s going to give up, but if he feels comfortable he can be a very engaging interviewee,\u201d said Mr English.<\/p>\n

His second interview with McManus was billed on the front page of the local paper as \u201cthe most candid interview he has ever given\u201d \u2014 a statement Mr English stands by to this day.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe interview was 6,000 words long \u2014 he’s well able to talk and he’s a good storyteller, when he gets going.\u201d When McManus gets featured locally, it is often about Limerick hurling. At matches, he is often spotted alongside A-list celebrities.<\/p>\n

Last weekend, he was accompanied by none other than US Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk \u2014 who quickly turned into a fan of the Limerick hurlers as the team booked their spot in the Munster final.<\/p>\n

Furyk had previously praised McManus\u2019s hospitality. \u201cI think the world of JP McManus\u201d, he had said prior to his visit.<\/p>\n

As excitement is building up for the Ryder Cup, Furyk said McManus \u201cprobably won\u2019t be rooting for us, but I know he\u2019s a gentleman and welcoming\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Sitting on the banks of the River Maigue, Adare Manor once hosted hunt balls, country fairs and even…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":613072,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[208470,5904,6547,101,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-613071","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-golf","tag-limerick-news","tag-golf","tag-ryder-cup","tag-sports","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/613071","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=613071"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/613071\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/613072"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=613071"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=613071"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=613071"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}