Cork soccer club Everton AFC appeal for help after storm damage

Storm Éowyn saw €12,500 damage done to fencing, dug-outs, goals and pitches at a Cork soccer club, as a local TD has called for more government support for those affected.

James O’Keeffe, chairperson of Everton AFC, told The Echo: “We’re situated right next door to Cork Airport, and the wind we got was ridiculous.

“We’re in the middle of redeveloping our park this last year, and we had bought new dug-outs for €8,500 and put in a new fence for €34,000. These were big, heavy dug-outs and they were strapped down before the storm, but they got loose and took off across the pitch, destroying parts of the fence.

“They smashed up a goal, which cost €3,500, took down two sections of the fence, the posts which were concreted into the ground are all broken, the netting behind the goal got ripped. When they took off, they destroyed the pitch, and the dug-outs themselves are destroyed too and the floodlights got damaged too so it’s a disaster.”

The pitch cannot be played on until they repair the damage and order new goals, which will have to come from the UK.

Mr O’Keeffe said: “Overall, it’s about €12,500 worth of damage, we think. We are still waiting for a full review, but our insurance premium is going to go through the roof, even though this isn’t a typical occurrence, it was due to extraordinary events. It’s an awful kick for the club, we’ve had to close our main pitch. We’re a 690-strong club, all voluntary, and we are seriously restricted now facility wise, we have to look for places to play and pay to get matches.

“There’s nobody looking out for us, FAI correspondence didn’t include Cork because they didn’t class it as an area that was affected, but we are proof that it was - we’ve photos to show the damage on our social media.”

The Football Association of Ireland confirmed it will “support any football club across the country which has been impacted by Storm Éowyn”.

Sinn Féin TD for Cork South Central, Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire, has said the Department of Enterprise must immediately roll out their assistance scheme to assist the many sports clubs, community and voluntary organisations and small businesses that have been badly affected by the storm.

He said he knew of many sports clubs across Cork who had seen damage to their facilities: “These are our sports clubs, community groups and voluntary organisations. These people are the backbone of our communities.

“We have seen damage to fencing, dug outs, goals, dressing rooms and community halls, that will be a huge cost and burden for these organisations.

“It is a huge setback and they must now get the adequate financial support that is needed to get back on their feet.”

He added that in October, funding was released by the Department of Enterprise through the Irish Red Cross for an Emergency Humanitarian scheme for small businesses, sports clubs, community and voluntary organisations affected by Storm Bert, calling for a repeat of this, and saying he will be raising this issue with the Minister for Enterprise.