Na Piarsaigh club to expand facilities

NORTHSIDE GAA club, Na Piarsaigh, is looking to the future with further expansion plans after support from Community Finance Ireland (CFI) enabled the club to restructure existing bank debt.

First founded by a group of local schoolboys, Na Piarsaigh GAA has been at the centre of the Fairhill community since 1943.

As the club prepares to celebrate its 80th anniversary, the board is outlining plans for further expansion to meet the demands of a growing membership.

During the recession, the club experienced financial difficulties, which former club chairman, Denis O’Neill, said led to an anxious time for the board.

“The recession hit us badly, we fell back on payments and were very worried.

“When we dealt with the bank, they were dealing with us like we were a business.

“It was at that time that James O’Connor, selector and club accountant at Na Piarsaigh, brought Community Finance Ireland to the attention of the board,” he said.

CFI provides social finance loans to community and volunteer-led organisations that drive social impact through sport, community projects, faith-based groups, and social enterprises.

Operating a model similar to traditional credit unions, all loan repayments go toward supporting other communities across Ireland.

CFI provided Na Piarsaigh with a long-term loan of €500,000 to restructure their existing bank loans.

Nora Keogh, CFI client relationship manager for the Munster Region, described Na Piarsaigh as an “important hub for the local community” and said CFI is “delighted to have helped the club refinance and find a pathway to become debt free”.

“The legacies of the recession still have a hold on many clubs across Ireland and we’re proud to help them pave a way forward so that like Na Piarsaigh, they can plan for the future, rather than feel bogged down by the past,” she added.

Na Piarsaigh now hopes to develop new facilities for the local community and upgrade the public walkway.

The club is aiming to secure adjacent land to accommodate an additional training pitch.