Connacht Centre of Excellence

[StoneWall]

Prenty is unbelievable first he gets the Connacht Council offices in Ballyhaunis now he get the Centre of Excellence on his door step. No wonder O'Mahoney got elected with him as his director of elections!

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/officials-defend-836410m-plan-for-new-mayo-centre-1262721.html

Officials defend €10m plan for new Mayo centre

Connacht officials have defended their decision to build a new €10m provincial training centre in Mayo, saying there is no danger it will become another 'white elephant' facility.


"It will get far more use than most of our big competition venues, specifically because it will not be a stadium but will, largely, consist of pitches," Connacht secretary John Prenty said yesterday as details of the province's audacious plan came to light.

Connacht officials visited a wide variety of training facilities in Britain, including those of Manchester United and Fulham FC and Sale rugby club, to get ideas for their new project which will have six pitches, an indoor hall and indoor training and meeting facilities.

Yet, with so many counties already building their own 'centres of excellence,' on top of county grounds, questions have been raised as to the wisdom of investing in yet another multi-million euro GAA facility when others often lie idle.

Utilised

But Prenty said Connacht's proposed new centre will be fully utilised and fill a gap which still exists despite the plethora of recent GAA infrastructure.

"There may be lots of venues around but the problem is that schools cannot get into most of them to play their games," Prenty revealed. "It is schools, and development squads, who will benefit most from this."

Insiders say that the €10m costs being mentioned are exaggerated, but there is no doubt that the facility will need heavy investment.

Prenty said Connacht Council will largely fund it themselves, but will apply for Lottery funding and grant aid from Croke Park, for the new venture on a 57-acre site at Greenwood, in the parish of Bakan, half way between Ballyhaunis and Knock.

Connacht Council President Larry Quinn (Sligo) said the venture has received full backing from all five counties in the province and from Croke Park.

"When I took over as president almost two years ago the idea of a centre of excellence for Connacht was put to me," Quinn said.

"From that moment I started to work on the project and I am delighted to say that it is now at quite an advanced stage.

"With headquarters now in a position to help out financially, it was a massive boost to us that GAA president Nicky Brennan gave our proposals the thumbs up," he added.

"We hope to finalise the plans for this exciting new development over the next few months.

"The site is as close to suiting every club in the province as you could get," said an enthusiastic Quinn.

"There are over 100 clubs within 40 minutes of it and it will benefit every GAA person from under eight right up to inter-county players.

"It will be of special benefit to schools and colleges -- particularly for teachers as they will no longer have the nightmare of trying to get pitches to play their games," he added.

"The list of those who will reap the rewards of this new centre of excellence is just endless."

[Star Spangler]

Do the Connacht counties have their own "centres of excellence"?  If so why is there a need for a provincial one?

This is the situation in Tyrone as a comparison;

Tyrone invest in Centre of Excellence
04 January 2008


The Tyrone county board has unveiled plans to develop a new multi-million euro training complex for its county teams at Garvaghy, which is situated between Dungannon and Omagh.

At least six pitches will be developed on the 30-acre site, while the county's administrative centre will also relocate to a purpose-built facility on the site. Planning permission has been secured and the entire project will cost around EUR8 million, with the target date for getting the complex ready for use set for 2013. One of the pitches will have an all-weather surface, which will cost around EUR1.3 million.

Tyrone's eight county football and hurling squads, as well as ladies and camogie teams, will use the complex. It will also be made available to schools and colleges for matches.

"It will be an integrated centre for all our county teams," explained Tyrone chairman Pat Darcy.

"It will be a tremendous boost because for the first time ever, our county teams will have their own facilities for training and for playing matches."

http://www.hoganstand.com/tyrone/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=87331

[tayto]

Dublin are building a similar facility on the northside and southside with a decidated hurling centre in the city centre.

[GaillimhIarthair]

In Galway the Football Board officially opened its centre of excellence in Loughgeorge (near Claregalway) prior to Christmass but it has been up and running for about a year.  As far as I know the Hurling Board is developing something similar in Athenry (open to correction), but I'm not sure of completion dates for this project.

[Gnevin]

Dublin are building a similar facility on the northside and southside with a decidated hurling centre in the city centre.

Where will these be based?

[tayto]

Southside one is going to be rathcoole, now that plannng is finally sorted for the access road. The likes of dublinfella of course want us to build a stadium there but the plan all along was a centre of excellence. Not sure where the northside one is planned for, they only announced the plan a few weeks back. Not sure where the hurling cente in the city centre is either, another new development, but apparently the city council have given the green light.

[magpie seanie]

I'd welcome this. In Sligo the county board have been trying for a long time to get a centre of excellence off the ground and despite their efforts are hitting brick walls all around. I think the more facilities the better.

[GalwayBayBoy]

As GI said the Galway football centre of excellence has been up and running for about a year out in Loughgeorge and a great facility it is too. The hurling one is due to begin construction soon out towards Athenry direction.

http://www.galwayindependent.com/sport/sport/new-galway-football-training-centre-to-open/

[Rossfan]

Like Seanie I too would welcome this.
In Ros at the moment all the County panels have to try and share Kilbride's pitch with the Kilbride club and we are unlikely to have a load of money anytime soon to build a quality centre.
I presume Soccer/Rugby rent is helping to pay for this?

[Gnevin]

Southside one is going to be rathcoole, now that plannng is finally sorted for the access road. The likes of dublinfella of course want us to build a stadium there but the plan all along was a centre of excellence. Not sure where the northside one is planned for, they only announced the plan a few weeks back. Not sure where the hurling cente in the city centre is either, another new development, but apparently the city council have given the green light.

Just trying to think where their would be space for this ? Down the docks?

[Croí na hÉireann]

Southside one is going to be rathcoole, now that plannng is finally sorted for the access road. The likes of dublinfella of course want us to build a stadium there but the plan all along was a centre of excellence. Not sure where the northside one is planned for, they only announced the plan a few weeks back. Not sure where the hurling cente in the city centre is either, another new development, but apparently the city council have given the green light.

Just trying to think where their would be space for this ? Down the docks?

Part of the new DIT campus in Grangegorman???

[neilthemac]

white elephant is right.

who the fcuk is going to use a Connacht Cente of excellence? In Ballyhaunis?? Very few teams are going to want to travel there to use it.

better off that €10 million would go towards the five counties to develop their own centres of excellence?

Prenty is some man. getting a centre built in 'haunis so Mayo and the local club can use it!

[GalwayBayBoy]

white elephant is right.

who the fcuk is going to use a Connacht Cente of excellence? In Ballyhaunis?? Very few teams are going to want to travel there to use it.

Without wanting to poo poo the whole project I have to agree. I can't see many Galway teams heading up to Ballyhaunis for a night's training. Essentially this will be a Mayo centre and you might get a few teams from Roscommon as the north of the county is fairly close.

The idea of it being a centre for the entire province is a bit fanciful IMO but I'm sure it's a great facility.

[neilthemac]

I wonder will Prenty allow a few hurling walls to be built at the centre of excellence???

[Rossfan]

this will be a Mayo centre and you might get a few teams from Roscommon as the north of the county is fairly close.

Dont be looking at maps at half two in the morning GBB   - West Roscommon is near Ballyhaunis