GAA club are in urgent need of a home

NA GAEIL Óga, a Lucan based club are in major need of a home.

This is what Councillors heard at last month’s Lucan area meeting.

The Chair, Councillor Vicki Casserly (FG) said that the club are currently travelling outside of Lucan for training and games due to having no home grounds.

“Na Gaeil Óga, they’re a minority club in the Lucan area, they are at a complete disadvantage for pitch usage in the .. area,” Cllr Casserly said.

Cllr Casserly said she had been consistently seeking additional support for the club to do training in the Lucan area and that the club were doing their bit to promote the use of the Irish language in our culture.

She added that the club are phenomenally strong and an integral part of the community and that it was only fair and right that this issue was addressed in the pitch management strategy.

Outside of that she said that at the very least the club should have additional playing time guaranteed in Airlie Park.

The club shouldn’t have to move outside of Lucan in order to secure access to sport, Cllr Casserly said.

Councillor Paul Gogarty (Ind) said that the Council’s response was a standard sports strategy response, adding that Na Gaeil Óga Club would need to show how close to certain locations the membership live so they can approach this issue in a targeted way.

Cllr Gogarty said that the issue is that there is a lack of pitches being provided overall and asked could the Council clarify could areas be identified for additional pitches.

Cllr Casserly pointed out “it doesn’t have to officially come from a club executive or public representatives to represent the public and any member of the public that contact us on their behalf in relation to the club, I have put reps in in relation to and I think similar with everyone else in this chamber.”

In its report the Council said that South Dublin County Council (SDCC) continue to use the online Pitch Allocation and Booking system which all clubs are required to register on and submit their annual application form and application fee, for their allocation to be considered.

Clubs are then notified of their proposed allocation and fee. On receipt of the appropriate fee allocation is made.

Any new club wishing to apply for the use of playing pitches/sporting facilities are asked to email publicrealm@sdublincoco.ie and an invitation to register on the system will be issued.

Once registered an application can be made.

Na Gaeil Óga have been allocated one grass pitch in Corkagh Park and the club also had two allocated time slots on SDCC’s artificial grass pitch in Airlie Park.

Manager Sharon Conroy said that currently there are no pitches to give Na Gaeil Óga.

“However the pitch allocation is up in July and we’ll be reviewing all the pitches and all the allocations across the board,” she added.

She said the club were offered spots in Airlie Park and chose to cancel them but will be offered them again, and that local clubs are given first preference for Airlie Park astro club.

She agreed that there was not enough green space and that it would be something that would be looked at in the Parks and Local space strategy. She said that Tandy’s Lane is currently in development and will be allocated.

Cllr Casserly expressed her appreciation for the response by the manager but went on to express her misgivings.

“An allocation of two evenings on one area, it doesn’t really cut it for the club. I would be strongly asking, they don’t have a permanent home, … I would strongly urge the management to look at this [Tandy’s park] as a permanent base for the club going forward,” she said.