GAA president Christy Cooney was on hand yesterday to turn the sod on the Connacht Council's new €10m Centre of Excellence at Bekan near Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo.

The 65-acre site is set to be transformed into a complex comprising six floodlit outdoor pitches, a state-of-the-art indoor pitch, gymnasium, and related facilities. It will act as a venue for county, club and school teams from throughout the province and is expected to be completed by 2014.

"This is a hugely significant day in the history of the GAA in Connacht," Cooney said.

"It will be the first provincial Centre of Excellence in the country, which is a real feather in Connacht's cap. Money generated by the rental of Croke Park was ring-fenced for projects such as this and I wish everyone involved with this development every success." Tweet

Most Read Stories