Louth GAA aims to provide its county teams with training facilities to match those anywhere else in the country. Two-thousand-and-four saw the dream of developing a centre of excellence for gaelic games in the Wee County come closer to fruition as the County Board's ambitious fundraising initiatives gathered momentum and the Darver Project moved into gear. During the summer of 2003, Louth County Board agreed the groundbreaking purchase of a 35-acre site at Darver - just off the Dundalk/Ardee Road. The move demonstrated clearly that Wee County GAA chiefs were deadly serious about proposals to develop state-of-the-art training facilities that could be used by all Louth GAA teams - footballers, hurlers, ladies footballers and camogie alike. With the site acquired, there would be no turning back. To the contrary, it has been full steam ahead as Louth sets the pace in an effort to rediscover the glory days. The official launch of the fundraising initiative for the new county training facilities took place in the Fairways Hotel in September 2003, and a large and enthusiastic gathering was enlightened on the scope and proposed timescale of the project. It was revealed that the objective was to have the training base up and running by 2007, provided adequate funding could be secured. A model of the proposed development - which will include six pitches (including one all-weather pitch with floodlighting) and a complex comprising changing rooms, referees room, an assembly room and kitchen, as well as the County Board offices - was unveiled. It was obvious fro the word go that this was much more than a lofty ambition. During the course of 2004, the Darver development was always to the fore on the County Board's list of priorities and Louth GAA is clearly intent on seeing this one through to completion. With Louth football having been in the doldrums for more years now than any of us care to admit, this is seen as the ideal way forward … the ticket to better days. The centre of excellence will enable Louth to compete with rival counties on a level playing field and should go a long way towards promoting and developing our native games throughout the county. This County Development Centre would not be becoming a reality without the massive input of its hard-working project committee - county chairman Paddy McMahon, county secretary Pat Toner, Seamus Kirk TD, Frank Lynch and Colm Marry. With its huge fundraising drive already underway, the committee is calling on the continued support of the business community and GAA supporters in the county. Each club in the county has made a donation and it looks like the first ball will be kicked at Louth's Centre of Excellence within three years! The 35 acres of land in Darver have been fully paid for. Outline planning permission has been secured and the County Board hopes to be granted full planning permission imminently. The development will incorporate six training pitches in total, one of which is all-weather. These pitches will be the training base of all Louth GAA teams and the Darver facility will also be the Headquarters of Louth County Board. The facilities will be a godsend to the local community in general, not just to those of a GAA persuasion. A walking track will be included around the pitches and this will be open to members of the public, who can avail of the service free of charge. It is likely that other activities such as indoor bowls will also be included down the line. County chairman Paddy McMahon has promised that the jewel in the crown of Louth GAA will remain open to the public at all times. Fundraising continues unabated. The Project Committee is actively scouring the county for funds, while grants will also prove vital. To date, £500,000 has been received from Leinster Council as well as an additional £50,000 from Croke Park. The County Board has also applied to the Peace II Initiative and is hoping to secure further funding from the national lottery. The remainder of the monies needed to complete the £6m+ project will hopefully be raised through the clubs, special fundraising events, and the goodwill of the business community of Louth. The intention is to open the Centre of Excellence by 2007, to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Louth's 1957 All-Ireland win. This would be appropriate timing: Louth have failed to win an All-Ireland since Dermot O'Brien led them to glory in '57 and it is believed that the new development at Darver could prove a real turning point as the Wee County strives to re-emerge as genuine contenders on the national stage. Phase I was the purchase of the site. Phase II comprises work on the pitches and it is hoped that this will be finished by February 2005. Once the ground settles, it will be possible to begin building works. This development is long overdue. Paddy McMahon first raised the idea of the project after an unacceptable situation where a county U21 team was forced to train literally at the side of the road. It was obvious to the county chairman that urgent action was needed… As well as the Darver project, the County Board is also hoping to be in a position to carry out some renovations on the county grounds at Drogheda soon. It is widely accepted that Louth's is one of the worst county venues in the country and drastic improvements are required. In the meantime, however, Louth is one of five counties currently setting the pace by developing modern training facilities aimed specifically at GAA teams, the other four being Kerry, Monaghan, Meath and Wicklow. In his report to the 2004 annual convention, county secretary Pat Toner said that the purchase of the land at Darver was the highlight of the previous year. In relation to the training ground development he pointed out that "now the hard work begins, the raising of the necessary finance to see the project to a successful conclusion." Approaches would be made to all sectors of the community to finance "one of the most adventurous projects undertaken by Louth County Board". Toner went on to thank members of the sub-committee for their dedication and paid tribute to Seamus Kirk TD - "the main driving force behind the project" - as well as the Coleman family who sold the land to the Board. There was no resting on laurels in '04. At the County Board's February meeting it was revealed that a major fundraising drive was about to begin, with 4,000 people having been targeted for a minimum donation of £250 apiece. A special deal had also been agreed with a telecommunications company. The postal strike didn't help matters, causing a two-week delay, but the letters were eventually sent out as the thankless task of trying to raise £3m began in earnest. A corporate lunch was also announced, which would be attended by An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in the Fairways Hotel on Friday September 3. Mr Ahern attended a packed lunch in the hotel's Tain Suite and outlined his support for the project. On Friday July 30, Dundalk Golf Club hosted a County Board Golf Classic and a Night at the Dogs was planned for Dundalk Greyhound Stadium for August 21. The purchase of the land from the Coleman family is a major milestone in the history of Louth GAA. Soon, the work will commence on turning the site into a HQ for Wee County GAA. County chairman Paddy McMahon has expressed a desire to stay on in the chair to see the project he initiated through to completion. Contract I involves the construction of an all-weather pitch and five sand-carpet pitches, internal access road, car parks and associated external lighting, a jogging/cycling/walking exercise trail, exercise embankments, floodlighting and landscape works. Contract II comprises clubhouse, hurling/camogie/handball training court and main entrance walls and gates. At the time of writing, Contract I was due to commence in April 2005 for completion by the following September. Due to the fact that the pitches will require a substantial rest period before any usage can be considered, Contract II won't begin until March 2006, for completion in February 2007, in time for the 50th anniversary celebrations of 1957. Tweet

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