Croí Ró Naofa voice anger over ongoing pitch issues

KILLINARDEN club Croí Ró Naofa have voiced their frustrations with the South Dublin County Council with the club still without new pitch renovations that were promised over three years ago.

Based out of Killinarden Park, the club were hoping for an imminent return to the pitch however are less than impressed with the development from the council as issues with the pitch are still present.

Club chairman Andy Keane spoke to The Echo.

“The pitch is inadequate, we told them we would just take it the way it is because we were waiting for it for so long.

‘They put drainage onto the pitch and you can see the tracks of all the drainage.

‘That’ll take time to settle but there’s still parts of the pitch that are just still gravel.

‘It’s basically still a building site. We’ve been given deadline after deadline, we were told last year we’d get it back, the June bank holiday weekend, told we’d have a summer camp on it this August.

‘It’s constantly just being pushed back.”

Goals have not been ordered for the pitch also with the club waiting weeks for an update only to find the order still had not been made as a member of the council was on annual leave.

The council have been in contact with the club and stated that goals will arrive within the next four weeks.

“They’ve made a walkway at the end of Killiarnden Park down to Tallaght Stadium.

‘They told us under no circumstances would that work commence before the pitch was done. That work is now finished and signed over.”

“They put a mound around three sides side of the pitch where the drainage goes into so the drainage circulates around the pitch, so during the winter months it’s just going to be a swamp around the pitch.

‘We’ve asked them to put up nets behind the goals as it’s a safety concern for volunteers to be going into a swamp and we were told that they can’t put nets in public parks, but they have nets in Tymon North and Ballycullen.

‘Is it one rule for other parks and other clubs but Killinarden and Croi Ro Naofa have to suck it up?”

In addition to the condition of the pitch redevelopments themselves the club has flagged numerous issues regarding anti social behaviour and acts of vandalism and lack of support from the council in dealing with it.

There have been three fires on the pitch since August 6th and the grounds around the pitch are full of glass bottles and syringes.

A small fence that was erected around the area was easily broken and not suitable to adequately protect the club’s grounds.

The side were allocated a pitch in Tymon Park North which is not suitable for full size matches and despite never using the pitch are being asked to pay fees to the council.

The club has been able to continue operating thanks to the generosity of nearby clubs such as St Marks and Ballyboden St Enda’s who have provided use of their training and playing facilities over the past number of years.

The club is extremely appreciative of this assistance which reflects the strong community values which is central to the GAA.