Offaly GAA drawing up plans for developing new land at Faithful Fields

THE Offaly GAA County Board are in the process of drawing up plans for the development of an additional 15 acres at the county training grounds at Faithful Fields, Kilcormac.

The 15 acres has been secured on a long term lease from local landowners, Tom and Sean Leonard and is located just to the rear of their existing 21 acres – the development of the county training grounds, including a state of the art complex with gym, dressing rooms and meeting facilities and four full sized playing pitches with floodlights has been acknowledged as a pivotal element in the recent transformation of Offaly's playing fortunes in hurling and football.

The 21 acres was initially secured on a long term lease from Offaly County Council in 2015 and was developed to a very high standard over the next couple of years. The lease fee there was a very nominal one and while a much more substantial yearly payment will accrue with the extra 15 acres, the County Board were determined to avail of the opportunity to get access to the land – Offaly Athletics will have access to a small portion of it for their cross country events.

A particularly poignant aspect of the deal is that the land was once owned by one of Offaly hurling's favourite sons, the late Charlie Daly. A passionate hurling man, Charlie was a selector with the Offaly side that won their first All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship title in 1981. His cottage remains standing at the land on the Kilcormac side of Faithful Fields and this and a small portion of ground is not included in the deal.

Banagher business man, Kieran Keenaghan, a fantastic driving force behind the initial development of Faithful Fields and the redevelopment of O'Connor Park, several years earlier, is heading up the committee charged with drawing up plans for the new land – a prolific fundraiser, he will also be overseeing this aspect of it along with County Board chairman Tom Parlon and treasurer Frank Fitzpatrick.

Tom Parlon told the June meeting of the Offaly GAA Board that they have examined other facilities all over the country up to the Tyrone GAA Centre of Excellence at Garvaghy, near Tyrone as well as rugby and soccer grounds.

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They have also been investigating the funding that will be available from the Government and the GAA's own bodies of Central and Leinster Council. Stating that they will have to do their own private fundraising as well, Mr Parlon hoped that they would have definite plans launched in the next month or so.