Down Club Hurling & Football

Started by Lecale2, November 10, 2006, 12:06:55 AM

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downjim

Are there any other defunct pitches/schools in Down that could be taken over by Down Gaa, always thought Derrylecka had potential . What's Annsborough like these days?

Mourne Rover

Most people would prefer our main training complex to be in or around Castlewellan, and there's no doubt that the decision not to buy the former Castlewellan High School site when it was offered to us for a knock-down price in the 1990s was an enormous mistake. However, that opportunity is gone, and none of the other options in the immediate area have worked out, so we need to look elsewhere. Ballykinlar is eight miles from Castlewellan, a drive of roughly 15 minutes, and cannot reasonably be regarded as a remote location. While the short road from Clough to the village is narrow, there is every reason to believe that it will be upgraded. The venue itself has huge potential and there are no sign of difficult planning issues at this stage. It clearly suits the hurlers, the camogs and the women footballers well, and is particularly convenient for the major centres of population on our side of Belfast and in Downpatrick from where players have traditionally had to travel to Newry. Male footballers from the south Down clubs will face longer journeys than at present but it is difficult to see how they will be seriously inconvenienced. When we get a properly designed training centre up and running, we will be in a different era so it is a project which deserves to be endorsed.

thewobbler

MR you're working on the assumption that people who live in Co Down work in Co Down.

Driving from Dublin to Belfast for the occasional training session is doable. Driving from Dublin to Ballykinlar for the odd training session is doable. Driving it 3 times a week for 8 months would test the resolve of even the most committed man. Especially if they've the best part of an hour back down to Burren, warrenpoint, Newry.

RadioGAAGAA

Quote from: Mourne Rover on September 06, 2019, 02:19:58 PM
While the short road from Clough to the village is narrow, there is every reason to believe that it will be upgraded.

Do you know something the rest of us doesn't?
i usse an speelchekor

Smurfy123

Newry would be the best place for a centre of excellence
As wobbler says you got to think of work.
Dublin Belfast based players Newry is central. And lads working say in Newcastle it's only 30
Minutes

Ambrose

Who owns Ballykinlar or what deal has been done regarding the site?

I seriously doubt any roads in the area will be upgraded, when you look at the state of the rest of the roads in the area any money for road repairs will go to the primary routes. I can't see a road upgrade to a GAA training centre being high up on the list of priorities for the relevant NI infrastructure department.

I've seen a figure of £6 million mentioned as to the overall cost of the project, obviously there will be government grants available and Croke Park will contribute, but how much are Down GAA expected to contribute and where will the money come from, they're not exactly known for their financial prudence.
You can't live off history and tradition forever

Ambrose

Quote from: downjim on September 06, 2019, 02:09:23 PM
Are there any other defunct pitches/schools in Down that could be taken over by Down Gaa, always thought Derrylecka had potential.

Surely a Burren man would know that Derryleckagh floods regularly?
You can't live off history and tradition forever

Maiden1

Ballykinlar is a sandy pitch near the shore so water will run off it and the pitch not cut up if teams are training on it in January.  It also has a lot of grounds around it so it much more cost effective to build something than e.g. buying land and building a pitch near Castlewellan.  It not ideal for all teams but it only 40 minutes or less drive from Mayobridge, Hilltown, Kilcoo, Castlewellan, Newcastle, Carryduff etc. to Ballykinlar.  Not sure any location would be ideal for every team.  It is only the last couple of miles of the journey that it a bad road.
There are no proofs, only opinions.

RadioGAAGAA

#31688
Quote from: Smurfy123 on September 06, 2019, 04:44:41 PM
Newry would be the best place for a centre of excellence

Just having a look using the power of google maps and directions - I think Annaclone would be about the most central for everyone to get to.

All at ~7.30pm arrival time

Belfast >> Annaclone : 35-45 mins
Newry >> Annaclone : 20 mins
Newcastle >> Annaclone : 25 mins
Downpatrick >> Annaclone : 40 mins
Attical >> Annaclone : 30 mins

Belfast >> Ballykinlar : 40-50 mins
Newry >> Ballykinlar : 45 mins
Newcastle >> Ballykinlar : 15 mins
Downpatrick >> Ballykinlar: 12 mins
Attical >> Ballykinlar : 40 mins

Belfast >> Newry : 45 - 60 mins
Newry >> Newry : 0
Newcastle >> Newry : 40 mins
Downpatrick >> Newry : 45-55 mins
Attical >> Newry : 35 mins

i usse an speelchekor

Mourne Rover

Wobbler is making the assumption that Down people working outside the county will be travelling from Dublin. Many do, and that has to taken into account. However, there are also Down people working in Belfast and other northern counties who need to be considered, and we need to remember that all underage players using the facility will be based at home. All in all, the arguments for a central location remain strong and Maiden1's points about the nature of the Ballykinlar site are pretty telling. Trying to look somewhere else at this stage would add years to the project and might well mean it will never happen.

thewobbler

Quote from: Mourne Rover on September 06, 2019, 06:00:02 PM
Wobbler is making the assumption that Down people working outside the county will be travelling from Dublin. Many do, and that has to taken into account. However, there are also Down people working in Belfast and other northern counties who need to be considered, and we need to remember that all underage players using the facility will be based at home. All in all, the arguments for a central location remain strong and Maiden1's points about the nature of the Ballykinlar site are pretty telling. Trying to look somewhere else at this stage would add years to the project and might well mean it will never happen.

I'm not making that assumption MR. I'm just pointing out a cold hard fact that there's a whole pile more money for tradespeople to head south.

Plus, there is any amount of students heading to Dublin for 4 years.

We can't expect a county senior team to thrive if the only viable career option is a teacher or farmer.

RadioGAAGAA

Quote from: Mourne Rover on September 06, 2019, 06:00:02 PM
Wobbler is making the assumption that Down people working outside the county will be travelling from Dublin. Many do, and that has to taken into account. However, there are also Down people working in Belfast and other northern counties who need to be considered,

I was thinking of that as well when I suggested Annaclone.

@7.30pm arrival time:
Annaclone is 5 mins from the A1.
The marshes are around 10 mins from the A1
Ballykinlar is around 40mins from the A1.



[BTW - def. not from Annaclone so not self promoting here.]
i usse an speelchekor

thewobbler

FWIW anywhere within 5 mins of the A1 would have to be considered a good position.

Cuan12

Wobbler you post some horse manure, in case you haven't noticed, it was a democratic decision taken to go to the ballykinlar,artics have trundled along that road for years, so access by coach for visiting won't be a problem, god forbid anyone gets hurt badly enough to be either airlifted or taken to hospital by road but the nearest hospital is only 10 mins by road if players want to play for Down then travelling won't be an issue, get behind the project instead of snipping.

DuffGael

I was just wondering why you haven't included Portaferry to Annaclone?
Down teams won all Ireland's in the 90's training in Ballykinlar all winter.  The sand pitch meant they played on a firm sod all year so had an advantage over other counties.

Just having a look using the power of google maps and directions - I think Annaclone would be about the most central for everyone to get to.

All at ~7.30pm arrival time

Belfast >> Annaclone : 35-45 mins
Newry >> Annaclone : 20 mins
Newcastle >> Annaclone : 25 mins
Downpatrick >> Annaclone : 40 mins
Attical >> Annaclone : 30 mins

Belfast >> Ballykinlar : 40-50 mins
Newry >> Ballykinlar : 45 mins
Newcastle >> Ballykinlar : 15 mins
Downpatrick >> Ballykinlar: 12 mins
Attical >> Ballykinlar : 40 mins

Belfast >> Newry : 45 - 60 mins
Newry >> Newry : 0
Newcastle >> Newry : 40 mins
Downpatrick >> Newry : 45-55 mins
Attical >> Newry : 35 mins
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