Pat Horgan confirms Cork GAA plans for centre of excellence facility in 2026

Cork GAA chair Pat Horgan has confirmed that Cork County Board have plans in place to begin the development of a centre of excellence facility.

At convention on Tuesday, Horgan stated that the county board have put together a combined fund of €1.7m for the centre of excellence. Horgan also confirmed that €500k of that funding will be put forth by Cork GAA.

Rebel Óg have also committed to supporting the development, while discussions with Munster GAA Council confirmed there will be €1m available for the project.

“On finance, our financial pathway is now clearly established under our strategic plan,” Horgan said on Tuesday night. “And thankfully, we have made significant progress to secure financial stability while engaging diligently with stadium debt. We have come a long way this year and our financial report for the year is healthy.

“However, the absence of a dedicated multi-pitch centre for our daily games is an ongoing issue. Tonight, I am pleased to announce to the convention that the finance and the management committee are recommending the ring fencing of funds to be set aside in the new year for this project,” he remarked. “The senior board here will allocate €500k and following discussions with Rebel Óg, they will also commit to funding.

“We also have had discussions with Munster Council and €1 million is available for a sports capital project, and together we will have an initial combined fund of €1.7 million.

“We now need to commit funding for a phased approach to continue sourcing, develop, build etc.

“We are currently setting up committees for this project, including a funding committee and a development committee.” 

Despite Cork GAA still owing close to €30m in debt as a result of the redevelopment of SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh, and a hold up in their ambition to sell the site at Kilbarry, the delivery of a multi-training facility will begin this year.

Cork County Board had secured planning permission for housing development on the Kilbarry site, but following a Judicial Review application seeking to quash An Bord Pleanála’s granting of planning permission, Cork GAA are locked in stalemate and are still yet to sell the land.

Carraig na bhFear delegate Don Hegarty took to the floor on Tuesday to raise the question of Kilbarry once again, to which Cork GAA CEO Kevin O’Donovan confirmed that it’s “still on the desk of An Bord Pleanála,” and that he hoped they would have confirmation on the situation for next month’s board meeting.

News on the Kilbarry site hinges on whether An Bord Pleanála will fight the Judicial Review.

There was one motion put forward at convention, by the executive, an amendment to the ruling that a player seeking to transfer to the ‘first club of his father’ could only do so if the player would be transferring to a club in a lower grade than the one they currently play with, and that motion passed with an overwhelming majority in favour.