Ballyhea GAA running major car draw in aid of new astroturf

Ballyhea GAA are running a major fundraising draw to help cover the cost of their recently opened astroturf facility – with the lucky winner set to win a brand-new Ford Focus or pocket a €30,000 cash alternative. The draw will take place at the start of the new year, on January 3.

Five additional runner-up prizes of €1,000 each are also on offer.

Before that, an early bird draw will be held on Tuesday, December 2. Anyone who purchases a ticket before then will be entered into that preliminary competition, with a chance to win two tickets for the 2026 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship final, along with €500 in cash.

Tickets cost €50 each, and with just 4,999 tickets available, the club expect demand to be strong in the weeks ahead.

“It's towards our astroturf, the project cost about £290,000 approximately,” said former Ballyhea senior hurling manager and current club vice chair and coaching officer, John Mortell. “We have received some grants but this has gone towards paying off the remainder of it.

“It's a 60m by 30m flood lit astroturf, adjacent to our ball wall, and it’s been on the pipeline for a while but this year we decided to go ahead, this will be an excellent facility in addition to our two pitches and our gym that we have already below.

“This is for training and for our underage setup because we have a very active juvenile club, and we’re trying to keep them all going.

“There's been a huge community effort to date so far, and the draw has been going very well and there's been great support all over the county really to be honest, and from local clubs and things.” The official opening of the astroturf took place last month, October 18, with Cork legend Seán Óg Ó hAilpín and former Dublin Senior football star Jason Sherlock there to cut the ribbon.

The new facility was officially opened last month on October 18, with Cork legend Seán Óg Ó hAilpín and former Dublin football star Jason Sherlock performing the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The occasion marked a proud day for the club, with members gathering to see the culmination of a long-term community project finally come to fruition.

Tickets for the Ford Focus draw can be purchased through the club’s online platform at https://pallaslotteries.ie/product/ballyhea-car-draw/