14th April 2026
It is with great sadness that Tennis Ireland marks the passing of Seamus Shelly, who died peacefully on 9th April 2026, in his 101st year.
Long before Parks Tennis became one of the most beloved community sports programmes in Ireland, there was Seamus Shelly; a man with a vision, and the conviction to act on it.
In 1977, Seamus, together with his son Tom, brought the concept of Parks Tennis to Ireland. Seamus served as the first Chairperson of Dublin Parks Tennis Ltd. (DPTL), registering the company at the Companies Office that same year. From the very beginning, his vision was simple and powerful: to give children who might never set foot in a tennis club the chance to pick up a racket, in the parks and green spaces of Dublin city.
The first Parks Tennis programme took place in July 1978. It was an immediate success, with 600 children taking part across six venues in Dublin. What began as a summer programme grew, under Seamus’s leadership and that of the founding members, into a year-round, nationwide initiative. Almost 12,000 children participated across 55 locations in Ireland last year – a number that speaks to the extraordinary reach of the seed Seamus planted nearly five decades ago.
It was also Seamus who, on stepping down as Chairperson, recommended to his successor that Kay Lonergan be engaged as Administrator. That single act of foresight helped shape Parks Tennis into the movement it would become. Two founding pillars, both now passed – a profound loss for Irish tennis.
Seamus’s connection to the tennis community ran through Briscoe Smith & Co Chartered Accountants, where he and Kay first crossed paths. But his legacy runs far deeper than any professional connection. He helped lay the foundations of a programme that has introduced countless thousands of children to tennis across Ireland over nearly five decades.
Tennis Ireland extends its deepest sympathies to his children Mary, Catherine, Bairbre, Denise, Sarah, Stephanie and Tom, his 15 grandchildren, 10 great grandchildren, and his extended circle of family, friends and home carers. He is predeceased by his beloved wife Sarah (Sadie).
Tennis Ireland also wishes to acknowledge the tribute paid by Cormac O’Shea and Dublin Parks Tennis on behalf of the wider Parks Tennis community, whose own words capture Seamus’s founding role with great warmth and care.
Ronan Reid – Chair, Tennis Ireland
“It was with sadness I learned of Shay’s passing. Only recently I came across the inaugural constitution of Parks Tennis from 1977 where he played a central role including as Chair. His legacy was continued by his son Tom and our deepest condolences go to Tom and his family. A true legend.”
Deirdre Brady – President, Tennis Leinster
“Seamus Shelly was a visionary who changed the landscape of Irish tennis for generations of children who would otherwise never have had the opportunity to play. His legacy lives on through the programme he founded. His years of service on the Tennis Leinster Council left a lasting mark on our sport. He was one of those people who shaped something much bigger than himself.
On behalf of Tennis Leinster, we are honoured to have been part of his story. Our deepest sympathies go to Tom and the entire Shelly family.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.”
Seamus Shelly was a quiet architect of something extraordinary. May he rest in peace.
