*Niall Tuohy and Tadg Collins. Photograph: Erin Malone. 

“Overwhelming support” has been experienced in Clarecastle regarding plans for a new community astro turf.

An emergency general meeting of Clarecastle GAA on Monday evening saw members back plans for a proposed 145mx90m astro turf that is intended to be a community use project following the club’s decision to lease lands to Clarecastle Community Amenity Company for the project.

Planning permission is to be sought in the next three to four weeks for the development which is to be located on the grounds of Clarecastle GAA, the exact land which in total is ten acres was acquired in the past five to six years and is separated from the main field by an existing wall.

Chairman of Clarecastle GAA, Niall Tuohy told The Clare Echo that the astro turf will be a full size hurling field but will also double up as two soccer pitches and a rugby pitch that will be durable and usable all year round. “It will be very important for Clarecastle GAA and for the Clarecastle community. There is a walking track going to be in place too, that will enable people to walk in the fresh air in foam footing. It will be an asset for the whole county and community”.

Clarecastle National School will also benefit from the development, Tuohy maintained. “We’re very much looking forward to welcoming the school, we’ve a great relationship with the school and they are very supportive of our initiative”.

Tadg Collins, Secretary of the Clarecastle Community Amenity Company felt the EGM was “extremely positive” with “overwhelming support for the project”.

He added, “It is a community project, it is the community amenity that are driving it. It won’t be specifically GAA but will be for the entire community, any community organisation will have use of it”.

Costs are expected to surpass €1m but the Community Amenity Company are anxious to secure grant aid.

Funding from Roche who are to begin the decommissioning of their Clarecastle site in June of this year is to play a pivotal role. “Our funding from Roche was a gift to the community, this was the project assessed by Roche as most worthy of financial gain for the entire community,” Tuohy noted. He said the astro turf will form part of Roche’s legacy to Clarecastle.

Collins who is also heading up the development committee admitted it was difficult to put a timeline in place for the works. “It’s all depending on funding so it’s difficult to say. We have a little bit to go, not a huge amount. We’re not going to start until we’re capable of finishing it. If we got matching funding we could start it pretty straight away”.

Related News

burren stone walls 1
Two-day event celebrates tradition dry stone walling which has shaped The Burren
clare gaa convention 12-12-19 18 niall gilligan
All-Ireland winner Gilligan pleads not guilty to assault of boy with a stick
murt mcinerney 2
'He is a huge loss to Doonbeg, West Clare & his family' - councillors adjourn July meeting in respect to Murt McInerney
connolly 1
Connolly development for community building gets green light

Advertisement

Latest News
connolly 1
Connolly development for community building gets green light
teresa roseingrave 1
Roseingrave resigns as Clare LGFA Chair with McMahon & Shannon also stepping down from Executive
ladies football trophy 1
Munster LGFA intervene to postpone adjourned Clare LGFA meeting
ronan collins 1-2
Ronan Collins recalls Clare show band scene ahead of Scariff Harbour Festival performance
valentines card 1
Five year Safety Order granted to Clare woman after Valentines Day card arrives from Limerick prison inmate
Premium
valentines card 1
Five year Safety Order granted to Clare woman after Valentines Day card arrives from Limerick prison inmate
1 DSC_2001
Next step for Clare camogie is returning to quarter-finals says Carmody
clare lgfa football 1
Adjourned Clare LGFA meeting to go ahead after breach of confidential correspondence investigated
clare v limerick 02-03-25 brian lohan 1
Lohan: early indicators positive on all experienced Clare players returning & wide net will be cast during club campaign
knockanean school
Council take wide berth on request to widen road leading to Knockanean NS

Subscribe for just €3 per month

If you’re here, you care about County Clare. So do we. Did you rely on us for Covid-19 updates, follow our election coverage, or visit The Clare Echo every week for breaking news and sport? The Clare Echo invests in local journalism and we want to safeguard its future in our county. By becoming a subscriber you are supporting what we do, will receive access to all our premium articles and a better experience, while helping us improve our offering to you. Subscribe to clareecho.ie and get the first six months for just €3 a month (less than 75c per week), and thereafter €8 per month. Cancel anytime, limited time offer. T&Cs Apply. www.clareecho.ie.

Subscribe for just €3 per month

If you’re here, you care about County Clare. So do we. Did you rely on us for Covid-19 updates, follow our election coverage, or visit The Clare Echo every week for breaking news and sport? The Clare Echo invests in local journalism and we want to safeguard its future in our county. By becoming a subscriber you are supporting what we do, will receive access to all our premium articles and a better experience, while helping us improve our offering to you. Subscribe to clareecho.ie and get the first six months for just €3 a month (less than 75c per week), and thereafter €8 per month. Cancel anytime, limited time offer. T&Cs Apply. www.clareecho.ie.

Advertisement