Clare rugby club set for major upgrade after receiving thousands of euros in funding

A well-known Clare rugby club is set for an upgrade after being awarded funding through the Healthy Ireland Walking Tracks initiative. 

The Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and the Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, Jennifer Murnane O’Connor, have announced the 35 Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) and Football Association of Ireland (FAI) clubs that will share in the €900,000 fund.

This is the second phase of Healthy Ireland’s IRFU and FAI Walking Tracks project, which last year allocated €1 million to improve the accessibility of pitch-side walking tracks in clubs all over Ireland.

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During phase one, 22 FAI clubs and 21 IRFU clubs were funded to make upgrades to walking tracks within their grounds, enabling more people in their communities to participate in physical activity.

The IRFU and FAI have each received €450,000 under phrase two of the initiative, with successful clubs receiving grants of between €15,000 and €30,000.

In Clare, the Scariff Rugby Club was awarded €20,000 to build a walking trail around the club, with works expected to commence in the summer months. 

Minister Carroll MacNeill said: "Improving the health of our population requires a collective effort. Our partnership with the IRFU and the FAI is a clear example of how working together can deliver tangible benefits for communities across Ireland.

"I would like to commend clubs across the country who have already upgraded their tracks and opened their facilities to the wider community. Their actions, along with the support of the IRFU and FAI nationally, show how practical initiatives can make a real difference."

Minister Murnane O’Connor said: "Healthy Ireland is very proud to continue our partnership with the IRFU and the FAI on the Walking Tracks initiative which illustrates the Healthy Ireland ethos by supporting clubs to create healthy community hubs.

"I have had the privilege of visiting some of the upgraded walking tracks and have seen and heard about the transformative benefits they have provided, not only for club members but for the wider community.

"Upgrading their tracks will enable clubs to provide a more accessible, inclusive setting for physical activity, enhancing the overall health and wellbeing of the community. It’s a wonderful way for clubs to engage with their communities and to encourage non-paying members to become more physically active.

"I want to express my thanks to both organisations for the considerable work involved in this process and I look forward to seeing the progress at some of the clubs in the future,” she concluded.