Finn Harps must raise €700,000 for new stadium work

Finn Harps need to raise €700,000 for work to resume on their long-delayed new stadium in Stranorlar

The construction of the Donegal Community Stadium has been hit be a series of roadblocks since being first mooted to shareholders at the AGM of the Finn Harps Co-Operative Society in 2004.

While significant work took place in 2014, there has been little advancement of physical work since. Although a grant of €3.991m has been awarded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, under the Large-Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF), Harps have to provide matching funding, which means they need to raise €700,000.

The total amount needed for Harps’ matching funding share is €1.2m. Harps have secured a facility from a subcontractor for €0.5m allowing repayments on their final installed payment over 10 years.

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At the start of June, Harps received official approval of the government grant, which is subject to what Harps have said are ‘a number of legal processes’.

Revised costs for the stadium have rocketed to €7.3m. The initial application that was approved was for a build cost of €5.7m, which was to aided by €0.5m assistance from Donegal County Council and the FAI with Harps required to provide €0.7m.

The club say that there is a commitment that work will recommence once their own funds for the project hit the €0.5m mark.

Harps secured a facility last year from the Western Development Council last year for €1m to fund the cash flow of the monies from the County Council and the FAI. This too will have to be reapplied for as it has been some time since it was granted.

The site of Finn Harps' stadium development in August 2023.

Rising costs have now added to Harps’ frustrations and the club has requested that the government grant be increased by a further €0.5m.

In a post on the club’s official website, chairperson Ian Harkin said: “The Government grant is a 70% funding facility which is payable after the monies have been spent so we need to have cash in the bank to start the project.”

In May 2022, Harps set a target of 2024 to be moved into the new stadium in Stranorlar. The basic structure of a stand can be seen from the Railway Road.

The latest update from Harkin says: “The legal process involves the Chief states solicitor’s Office getting a charge on the land in Stranorlar, because the lease now only has 15 years remaining we are required to get an extension on that lease in excess of 25 years,  this will now be presented at this month’s Council meeting.”

Finn Harps Chairperson Ian Harkin.

In a bid to make up the significant financial shortfall, Harps will now set up a committee for fundraising who they say will have ‘full autonomy on their fundraising separate from the club with their own banking facilities to separate from the operational running of the club’.

Last year, a draw and a golf event in London were arranged to get the ball rolling on the stadium fundraising.

Harps said: “In the coming weeks we will be launching our main fundraising initiative and we will be asking for your help to spread the word wide and far. . .We foresee this committee to be running constantly into the future, investing each year in growing the infrastructure of the club to serve the people of Donegal.”

The need for a new stadium for Harps has never been as pronounced as the club approaches the 70th anniversary of its formation next year.

Harkin said: “This past number of years we have been receiving derogations on our annual facilities licencing for Finn Park because of the promise to move to the new stadium.

“We are also spending significant funds annually to maintain the old crumbling infrastructure. Every time there is heavy rain the clubhouse floods, our floodlights are over 20 years old and the electricity bill for them is astronomical each month. Our prefab changing rooms were only meant to be a short term solution during Covid and they are becoming tired.”