Grounds for optimism
November 27, 2011Red letter days are invariably associated with cups and titles which are delivered on the altar of great derring-do on the field of play. Not always though.
For instance, for the good burghers of Munterconnacht, Gowna and Killeshandra Leaguers, last Summer played host to a triumvirate of landmark achievements off the field of play.
The GAA in county Cavan is rightfully proud of its grounds and the units of the Association locally need no longer feel the need to tug the forelock to their neighbours in that regard.
Over the past 12 months, the value of the Association's fixed assets in the Breffni county soared Gold-like on the back of a number of club developments.
In Munterconnacht, for instance, the local landscape morphed into a dreamscape for the tight-knit GAA fraternity there and local supporters.
From a distance, one could imagine Munterconnacht gaels looking back on 2011 with mixed emotions.
At one end of the spectrum was the angst and frustration suffered by dint of the club's second successive JFC final defeat.
Set aside that, the success enjoyed by the club in division three of the ACFL was most heartwarming.
All told, if the club's triumphant official opening of its expansive new sports and recreational facilities last August is added to the mix, the past year will surely be regarded as a very successful year for the Meath-border club.
On August 12th-13th, the blue and white brigade hosted a feast of activities for all age groups to celebrate what is certain to be enshrined in the annals of the club.
For close on a century, Munterconnacht GFC has been a bulwark of the local community and its influence on the social and cultural life of the populace over the decades cannot be over-estimated.
Last August's epochal celebration marked the culmination of two years of development work which cost in the region of 450,000 euros.
Munterconnacht GFC's die-hards have never been slow at coming forward to enhance their club in every aspect but there a groundswell of opinion surfaced which indicated that it was time to refurbish and augment the existing clubrooms which were built and opened at St. Bartholomew's Park in 1988.
Those at the coalface of administrative affairs at Munterconnacht GFC circa 2007 came to a consensus that a project of development work, affording everyone in the community a chance to participate, should kick off and so a Sports Development Committee was formed.
The said Committee was given the remit of delivering new and enhanced facilities at an affordable price and work began in July 2009.
The acquisition of National Lottery funding worth 150,000 euros provided the Committee with the confidence and inspiration to seek commitments from local contributors to a Five Year Funding Plan; apply for a loan facility with Oldcastle Credit Union and a GAA grant (for the completion of the work).
By the end of the Five Year Funding Plan, over 250,000 euros will have been raised locally which is a huge credit to the organisers and patrons alike.
The facilities in place now at Munterconnacht compare favourably with anything in place at most small rural clubs in the country.
The new facilities include a running/walking track with lighting, covered spectator accomodation, gymnasium, handball/racquetball court, male and female changing rooms, meeting room, treatment room and kitchen.
Pointedly, the roof was raised on the existing building which can now faciliate a badminton court when and if demand ordains its use as such.
A challenge game involving defending All-Ireland club kingpins Crossmaglen Rangers and a Loch Ramor All-Star selection made for an entertaining and wholly enjoyable feature of Friday, the 12th's opening day celebrations.
There was no less a sense of pride and belonging in Gowna on May's Bank Holiday weekend when Gowna GAA officially opened its new clubrooms and training pitch.
With great ambition, courage and conviction over the course of many years, the gaels of Gowna pulled out all the stops and pulled together to put in place facilities costing 600,000 euros.
In what was the second major opening of Pairc Loch Gowna - the inaugural event being in 1981 - the demand in recent years for new, more accomodating facilities was all consuming as the number of teams using the club's headquarters grew and grew almost year in, year out.
The foresight of some of Gowna GAA's leading lights saw the club avail of Sports Capital Grant to the tune of 120,000 euros in 2004 which allowed the club to purchase land adjacent to their existing ground for the purpose of developing a second playing pitch.
Then in 2003, the purchase of 4.5 acres - ideally suited for development purposes - from former club chairman Philip Hourican was completed.
Ongoing revenue from the club lotto helped to underpin the drive to bolster the coffers ahead of the planned contruction work on the green field site.
Then in 2005, tenders were sought for the development of the second pitch and a year later, the club pushed ahead with further plans for a new spacious clubroom complex.
In 2007, with the second playing pitch now in full use, plans for the new clubrooms were prepared and later that year, the original dressing-rooms were demolished.
Thanks, in part, to the help of local voluntary labour, the new complex was completed on schedule and then over the course of 2009/10, floodlighting was installed which was partly funded by fundraising campaigns, including a Lord Mayor campaign.
With the equipping of the club gym (now used by neighbouring clubs as well as Gowna's finest), a great sense of satisfaction and achievement washed across the bows of Gowna.
To mark the occasion, Cavan locked horns with neighbours Longford in a senior challenge match with the Leinster men edging matters by 2-9 to 3-5.
With seven SFC titles to their name plus an IFC and three JFC crowns and six U21 FC titles as well as four MFC final wins, some would say that the green and red brigade's addition of state of the art facilities has made them a model unit from which others can take true inspiration.
Across the county in Killeshandra, the inspired work of a whole host of Leaguers was manifest in the opening of the re-developed Packie Devlin Memorial Park.
The Leaguers' HQ was acquired back in '74 with the first competitive matches being staged there the following year and seven years later, the first development of facilities took place.
Given the immense growth in numbers wishing to train and play matches on the pitch, the club's executive committee - under the chairmanship of Pat McGearty - decided to initiate plans for a major redevelopment of the club's base.
In a short space of time, a finance committee was established and a decision was made to run a development draw, the bones of which were outlined at a club meeting in early 2007.
This proposal involved the development on the existing site of a full size playing pitch, a new training pitch on the site of the old playground, walking track and development of existing changing rooms. The proposal was ratified at a meeting in spring 2007.
Following many months of very hard work by numerous club members who travelled most of County Cavan, parts of Longford, Leitrim and Fermanagh, selling tickets, a very successful draw was held in October 2008.
Combining 170,000 euros raised locally with lottery funding of 75,000 euros, CLAR funding of 15,000 euros, Ulster Council grant of 15,300 euros plus generous support from club sponsors and club patrons, a total amount of approximately 350,000 euros was raised for the development.
Work commenced in June 2008 but extremely bad weather over two summers prevented much work being done and this delayed the project for one year.
However the Leaguers never lost their focus with members of the fundraising and planning committee, development committee, club committee and club members in their entirety redoubling their efforts to seal the deal. Tweet
