Work has started on Tallaght Town all-weather pitch
Work gets underway on club’s all weather pitch
FRUSTRATION for Tallaght Town AFC, despite getting started with the construction of the long awaited All Weather Pitch development at Carolan Park.
After years of delays with initial applications stretching all the way back to 2023 Tallaght Town AFC eventually got building underway but with one notable change.
They were unable to install any floodlights.
Alan Merriman, club chairman, spoke to The Echo calling the decision an example of “idiotic thinking by the Council.”
“We have over 650 members here and we don’t have the proper facilities for the winter months. We have kids having to travel up to Lucan and all over Dublin and it’s really hard on the parents and the club financially.
‘We were allocated an hour at the pitches in Sean Walshe Park by the Council but for a club our size it’s not practical.”
The primary reason that the floodlights were rejected appears to be due to the possible effects that development may have on the wildlife in the area.
‘Much of the land surrounding Saggart and Athgoe has been designated as protected with concerns about the local bat population causing permission to be denied.
“The proposals and in particular the proposed floodlighting may have serious adverse effects on the bat population in the vicinity of the site and the Planning Authority notes bats are protected under the EU Habitats Directive.
‘Although the submitted bat survey includes mitigation measures to reduce light impact around the car park, the submitted measures do not overcome the Planning Authority’s concerns in this regard and these include the effect of flood lighting directly into a dark zone at the periphery of the Dublin Mountains.”
Merriman spoke of the decision and the experience of dealing with the council throughout this process.
“It’s the most frustrating thing that I’ve done in 10 years of being chairman, dealing with the council. The league going to a summer format over the next year or two will be a big plus for us but come October we will still be in the same position.”
The club aims to complete the current all weather pitch by August but costs are still not finalised.
They will be seeking a grant from the council for €50,000 along with hosting various fundraiser events over the next couple of months with the aim of raising supplemental funds.
