Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, John O'Donoghue TD, officially launched the Breaffy International Sports Hotel a unique €30 Million investment in Ireland, the first purpose built sports hotel in the country. Situated within the 90 acre Breaffy House Resort in Castlebar, Co. Mayo, where the luxury Breaffy House Hotel is also sited; the development is a brand new concept not previously experienced in Ireland, combining superb hotel accommodation with state of the art sports facilities. Incorporating the "Centre for Sports Training and Excellence", inspired and designed by rugby legend Keith Wood; the Breaffy International Sports Hotel has also appointed other sporting greats such as soccer's Paul McGrath, hurling ace D. J. Carey, Gaelic football's Peter Canavan and the former Munster and Ireland rugby team manager Brian O'Brien, as sporting ambassadors. A measure of the development's facilities is that it incorporates: * 30,000 sq ft multi-purpose indoor sports arena * Full size Rugby/Soccer pitch * Adjacent full size GAA pitch. * 50 piece elite fitness gymnasium * Training pitches to IRFU and FAI specifications * A multi-functional astro-turf pitch * 8 Muscle recovery ice baths * Specialised physiotherapy rooms * 120 bedrooms * 24 luxury residences, designed by Paul Costello * Adjacent Life Spa and Kudos Aqua and Fitness Club * Adjacent 20 meter swimming pool, Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna * 200 seater/meeting room facility * Legends Bar and Bistro. Speaking at the launch today in Croke Park, Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, John O'Donoghue TD said: "The Breaffy International Sports Hotel will be an exciting development. I am particularly impressed by the sports facilities being provided as part of the development, including the Hotel's own "Centre for Sports Training and Excellence" which has been designed and inspired by our own Keith Wood. I look forward to the day when the Breaffy International Sports Hotel receives its registration from Fáilte Ireland and is officially opened." Mr. Michael Lynch, Managing Director of the Lynch Hotel Group said: "The whole ethos of the Breaffy International Sports Hotel is based on Œbest in class sporting and hotel facilities'. The Lynch Hotel Group is proud to have made this investment to provide facilities that are unique in Ireland. "We have had a substantial number of pre launch enquiries from sports Governing Bodies and clubs from within Ireland and overseas. The facility enhances the sporting infrastructure of this country and the tourism product of the West and has the potential to attract big name international sports clubs to come to use it." The Breaffy International Sports Hotel on the outskirts of Castlebar, Co. Mayo boasts good access by road and is situated just 20 minutes from Ireland West International Airport. Former Ireland and Lions rugby legend Keith Wood, who was commissioned as a design consultant, says: "What sets the Breaffy International Sports Hotel apart is the dedicated attention to detail. Nothing has been left to chance in providing a range of specialist facilities for sports training at a level unmatched in Ireland if not across Western Europe. The bonus of on-site training pitches designed to rugby, Gaelic games and soccer specifications, is augmented by the range of state of the art gymnasium facilities and the Sports Arena which in my experience combine to provide an unrivalled all purpose package ideal for all sports training camp programmes." David Byrne, Group Sales and Marketing Director of The Lynch Hotel Group, said: "The Breaffy International Sports Hotel provides the ideal venue for both team bonding camps and pre-season preparation camps for amateur and professional clubs. Our target audience are clubs from both inside Ireland and abroad. This will lead to a substantial boost to Ireland by way of inbound Sports Tourism and the creation of a great domestic demand." Lynch Hotel Group specifically targeted the exponential growth occurring in Sports Tourism taking place both within Ireland and overseas. This is due to the increased need for local, regional and national sports teams to excel within their respective fields. Tweet

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