Clare County Council is championing the cause of three significant sports infrastructure projects in the county, as it supports Clare GAA, Active Kilrush and the Kilkee Sub-Aqua Club’s applications for funding under the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF).
Chief among the projects submitted for consideration to the Department Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media is the training grounds of Clare’s All Ireland Hurling champions – the Clare GAA Centre of Excellence at Caherlohan. The success of the application would allow for the transformation and expansion of the existing facilities, bringing them to a standard fit for champions, and make them more accessible to male and female teams.
The second application submitted by Clare County Council focuses on the Active Kilrush Sports Complex and the delivery of a new 1,700 square metre indoor sports facility to serve the town and surrounding community.
The third application put forward for funding support is the development of a centre of excellence for diving and snorkelling by the Kilkee Sub-Aqua Club.
Chief Executive of Clare County Council Pat Dowling said, “This year has left us in no doubt about the sporting capabilities and interest in sport in Clare, as we continue to celebrate our All Ireland Hurling success. It is important that we build on this momentum and continue to support our communities as they grow and develop state-of-the-art sporting facilities for the next generation of sporting heroes.
“Clare GAA has been ensuring that our national game continues to thrive throughout the county while also ensuring Clare provides champion hurlers. The application for funding towards the €4.96 million development at Caherlohan would allow the GAA to expand and develop facilities to a standard comparable to other counties’ facilities. Meanwhile the community in Kilrush are working towards the establishment of the Active Kilrush Sports Complex, a facility that would support numerous sports and clubs.
This €4.9 million project has the potential to reap huge sporting benefits for the west of the county. In Kilkee, the Sub-Aqua club has a long tradition of not just encouraging and developing diving and snorkelling in the seaside town, but of providing essential support to our emergency services during times of crisis. Clare County Council is supporting its €1.2 million centre of excellence project by including it in the LSSIF funding application.”
Clare County Council Director of Service for Social Development Jason Murphy added “The LSSIF grant is provided by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media with a minimum grant application of €600,000. Following a process that included an invitation for expressions of interest in the local media, Clare County Council has agreed to sponsor three applications worth approximately €11 million in this year’s national call. The national fund is estimated to be worth up to €120 million and a decision on the applications is expected in the coming months.”
Welcoming Clare GAA’s number one position in the funding application Clare GAA Operations Manager Deirdre Murphy said, “The upgrading and development of the centre at Caherlohan will completely transform the facility from one which is poorly presented, unfit for purpose and unable to meet all the needs of existing users, into a high quality, accessible sporting venue which can realise its potential in relation to sports participation at recreational and competitive level. Improved facilities will also help to ensure high-performance standards are achieved.
Critically, the extended facilities and additional pitches will mean that the venue will be able to provide for our male and female teams. It will promote whole community access, ensure that it is a vibrant hive of activity where sports and community activities and events are constantly underway. We are extremely grateful to Clare County Council for the support provided to us in developing an excellent application within a testing timeframe. We also have an excellent endorsement and ranking by the GAA, LGFA and Camogie Associations, who all recognise how vital this project is for the future of Gaelic Games in Clare.’’
Welcoming the inclusion of the €4.9 million Active Kilrush Sports Complex in the application Active Kilrush Member Cllr Ian Lynch highlighted the need of an indoor sports facility to serve the town and surrounding community. “Various clubs and stakeholders have worked together through the years to get the best from our facility and now it is time to bring it to a new level for the town and surrounding area. This building will form a cornerstone of our sports amenities and is a key part of our masterplan for the town.”
Ger Haugh of Kilkee Sub-Aqua Club spoke of the importance of the Kilkee Sub-Aqua Club’s proposed Centre of Excellence for Diving and Snorkelling to a coastal community. “This ambitious €1.2million project involves building a two-storey, multi-use regional dive and snorkel centre on the existing site. It will serve as a base to store boats and scuba gear, with specialised search and recovery equipment, dressing rooms and showers and toilets. Our new centre will have the capacity to cater for the growing, diverse numbers wishing to learn and enjoy the sports of scuba diving and snorkelling. It will also be a communications and reception centre for families and friends in the event of ongoing recovery searches for missing persons.”