Ballincollig GAA club will reap the rewards of major investment in facilities
GAA president Larry McCarthy with some of the key Ballincollig GAA club members that drove the new development including Seamus O'Brien, second from right. Pictures: Dave Keeley
GAA president Larry McCarthy officially opened Ballincollig GAA’s new floodlit pitch and 4G-all weather pitch recently.
Many TDs, Cork County Board and Muskerry GAA representatives were among the large crowd. Ballincollig mapped out an ambitious plan back in October 2019, which set out a three-year development plan and by October of 2022, that plan was completed, a 4G all-weather pitch with floodlights was finished in July 2020 and a sand-based pitch with floodlights was concluded in October 2022. Despite Covid-19, lockdowns and a cost of living crisis, Hourihan Sportsfield Developments from nearby Waterfall delivered the project on time.
As the official opening took place, a quick look around the GAA club shows how far they have come since the modern complex began to take shape back in 1981. The concrete base for dugouts was poured a couple of weeks ago on the pitch where the new floodlights were installed, as the club continue to upgrade the facilities.
Ballincollig, with over 1,000 members, are excited for the 2023 season on and off the pitch. The Premier Senior footballers will be looking to build on the semi-final appearance last season, while the Premier Intermediate hurlers, with a young and vibrant team have the potential to do well in the championship. The Collig don’t let the grass grow under their feet, with a new gym for the players in the pipeline, so all in all it’s a good time for the club.
Séamus O’Brien, whose son Michael was Ballincollig manager when they won their first SFC title back in 2014, was the chairman of the development committee which was set up to undertake the most expensive project in the history of the club, with the final cost coming in around the €1million mark.
"The club were caught for floodlights and also an all-weather pitch for winter training.
"On top of the rise in membership, the camogie and ladies football also saw a sharp rise in membership, so we had to act. It was a very ambitious project, make no mistake about it, there were a few people saying at the time that we were mad, but myself and the committee members were determined.
"We had a number of meetings in the club and also a special general meeting to get approval. Then it was all about fundraising, applying for capital sports grants and so on. With all the fundraising we did, we started off with who wants to be a Thousandaire, and we made €81,000 on that, which was a good start. We then met with the Munster Council and County Board and they were worried how we were going to fund it.
"Our committee decided to put a levy on every single member. All our expenses were paid by the levy. We made €200,000 from interest-free loans from members, and we also had many generous members who gave us €10,000 each and over 10 years the club are paying back €1,000 a year."
Cork City Council gave us grants and we were lucky to have such magnificent support from local businesses, too many to mention, but they all know who they are. We received over €200,000 from capital sports grants and got a loan from Croke Park and Clann Credo.”
O’Brien is proud as punch at how the development committee all rallied together, and is happy to pass on the baton.
“It has been a great few years and I am absolutely over the moon that we achieved what we set out at the start.
"On the committee we had Garrett Harrington, the local pharmacist, former chairman of the club Dave Walsh, Ed Power, James Lynch and Seán McCarthy were the quantity surveyors for us, Martin O’Brien was our accountant and Brian Costello, an exceptionally good PRO.
"It only finished a few months ago with the installation of the floodlights, my work is finished and I hope the new development committee can keep things moving in the right direction. The club has a bright future on and off the pitch."
