Connacht Centre of Excellence

Started by GaillimhIarthair, August 20, 2009, 03:47:35 PM

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GaillimhIarthair

Quite a stroke by Mr Prenty to locate this in Ballyhaunis  >:(

The Connacht Council of the GAA have welcomed the news that their proposed new €10m Centre of Excellence has successfully come through the planning process.

Last month, Mayo County Council granted permission for the project, and the 30-day period has now elapsed during which any objectors can appeal to An Bord Pleanála.

No appeals have been lodged which means the Council can now commence preparations for making the Centre of Excellence dream a reality.

'We are absolutely delighted with this news. It means we can progress our plans now to build the first provincial GAA Centre of Excellence in the country, and the benefits will be felt by young sportspeople and their mentors all over the province,' said Connacht GAA Secretary John Prenty.

'The permission granted to us by Mayo County Council involves us scaling back our plans in some areas, and we are happy to do that. We addressed worries expressed by local residents in the area and everything is now in place.'

The Council purchased a 60-acre site at Cloonacurry, Bekan - on the Knock-Ballyhaunis road - and Mr Prenty said preparations would begin immediately.

'Contract prices have reduced substantially in recent times, so we should get good value now,' he said.

The centre will feature six outdoor GAA pitches, a 900-seater stand on the main pitch, a state-of-the-art indoor pitch, gymnasium, and related facilities.

'We expect to start advertising for tenders for the work in the coming weeks, and we would hope to have work commenced by late autumn,' added Mr Prenty.

Money generated by rugby and soccer internationals in Croke Park has been earmarked for the project.

'The big winners in this project will be young people from all over the province. The centre is ideally located in the middle of the province, and we now look forward to a day soon when the Centre is used on a daily basis,' said Mr Prenty.

'It is a historic time for the GAA in Connacht. We would hope to have the project completed by 2012.'

ross4life

#1
Quote from: GaillimhIarthair on August 20, 2009, 03:47:35 PM
Quite a stroke by Mr Prenty to locate this in Ballyhaunis  >:(

The Connacht Council of the GAA have welcomed the news that their proposed new €10m Centre of Excellence has successfully come through the planning process.

Last month, Mayo County Council granted permission for the project, and the 30-day period has now elapsed during which any objectors can appeal to An Bord Pleanála.

No appeals have been lodged which means the Council can now commence preparations for making the Centre of Excellence dream a reality.

'We are absolutely delighted with this news. It means we can progress our plans now to build the first provincial GAA Centre of Excellence in the country, and the benefits will be felt by young sportspeople and their mentors all over the province,' said Connacht GAA Secretary John Prenty.

'The permission granted to us by Mayo County Council involves us scaling back our plans in some areas, and we are happy to do that. We addressed worries expressed by local residents in the area and everything is now in place.'

The Council purchased a 60-acre site at Cloonacurry, Bekan - on the Knock-Ballyhaunis road - and Mr Prenty said preparations would begin immediately.

'Contract prices have reduced substantially in recent times, so we should get good value now,' he said.

The centre will feature six outdoor GAA pitches, a 900-seater stand on the main pitch, a state-of-the-art indoor pitch, gymnasium, and related facilities.

'We expect to start advertising for tenders for the work in the coming weeks, and we would hope to have work commenced by late autumn,' added Mr Prenty.

Money generated by rugby and soccer internationals in Croke Park has been earmarked for the project.

'The big winners in this project will be young people from all over the province. The centre is ideally located in the middle of the province, and we now look forward to a day soon when the Centre is used on a daily basis,' said Mr Prenty.

'It is a historic time for the GAA in Connacht. We would hope to have the project completed by 2012.'


can only be good news for connacht teams with great underage players comming through.......

& whats your problem with the location?  did you want it in salthill? it's pretty much in centre connacht (castlerea is middle) so long as it's far away from the smelly meat factory in ballyhaunis it should be fine  :D
The key to success is to be consistently competitive -- if you bang on the door often it will open

ludermor

I cant see any fault in the location at all, there are 4 clubs in mayo which will be as far away from it as any club in galway

Gold

"Cheeky Charlie McKenna..."

GBXII

Its not in Ballyhaunis anyway...its a couple of minutes outside Knock.

ross4life

Quote from: GBXII on August 20, 2009, 04:53:27 PM
Its not in Ballyhaunis anyway...its a couple of minutes outside Knock.

it's sure to be blessed so ;)
The key to success is to be consistently competitive -- if you bang on the door often it will open

RedandGreenSniper

Its in Bekan, pronounced Bacon. I hope its up quickly because it will be a massive asset to the county province.
Mayo for Sam! Just don't ask me for a year

ross4life

Quote from: RedandGreenSniper on August 20, 2009, 11:11:32 PM
Its in Bekan, pronounced Bacon. I hope its up quickly because it will be a massive asset to the county province.

haha

build it and they Sam will come
The key to success is to be consistently competitive -- if you bang on the door often it will open

Never beat the deeler

I know its a long way before any players will actually be attendiing this facility, but how does the selection process usually work for these type of Centres?

Are young players to be hand picked from trials a la underage county teams or will each club put names forward?
Hasta la victoria siempre

Son_of_Sam

Anyone there who has played underage football for their county or been involved in club or county management in the province reckon this will work as a major benefit to Connacht football. Will it help to foster a more winning Connacht style & mentality of football in what is truely in my opinion the most beautiful and best part of Ireland to live. Love the West so much I'm listening to i 102 - 104 on mp laptop here in Melbourne. Heres hoping we will be on here with the Sheepstealers, Heron Chokers & Sligo lads (any Leitrims here!) slagging each other on how many more leagues & ALL-IRELANDS (more esp.) at SENIOR, U-21, Minor & Club we have won in very recent times.


UP THE WEST

SLIGONIAN

Leitrim are building a centre of excellence in annaduff, but it seems stalled. Sligo have one planned. I  personnally would prefer individual county ones if feasible. Its over over 1.5hrs to Ballyhaunis from North Sligo, not really feasible for the whole of Connacht IMO, just too far from the outskirts of the province. Mayo will get best use of it, South Sligo, west Roscommon and North Galway too. Tyrones Centre of excellence is worth a look. I think Sligo need to be self serving and get our one up and built asap.
"hard work will always beat talent if talent doesn't work"

Hardy

If everywhere has a centre of excellence, does excellence become the norm? What comes after excellence?

GaillimhIarthair

Quote from: ludermor on August 20, 2009, 04:37:30 PM
I cant see any fault in the location at all, there are 4 clubs in mayo which will be as far away from it as any club in galway
To be honest I dont really have any problem, its fairly central,  just that bo**** Prenty seems to happy knack of getting "Connacht" facilities built on his door step i.e. the connacht gaa council gaa offices are located in Ballyhaunis also.

RedandGreenSniper

Quote from: Hardy on August 21, 2009, 08:46:30 AM
If everywhere has a centre of excellence, does excellence become the norm? What comes after excellence?

Perfection.
Mayo for Sam! Just don't ask me for a year

mouview