New €5.5 million Sports Hub the catalyst for further investment in Tipperary, says Taoiseach

The new €5.5 million Clonmel Sports Hub will be a huge asset not just to TUS (Technological University of the Shannon) Clonmel but to the town itself, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar stated when he performed the official opening of the sports hub.

The multipurpose sports facility, built on a 1.88-hectare site, has been developed by TUS in partnership with Tipperary County Council.

It incorporates a World Athletics-approved 400 metres athletics track with a water hurdle, long jump track, shot putt, discus and javelin stations, as well as a playground, skatepark, a cycle (pump) track and a walking trail.

Substantial funding was also provided by local businesses Sepam, Camida, Boston Scientific and Abbott Vascular as well as the facility’s anchor tenants, Clonmel Athletic Club, Clonmel Cycling Club and Clonmel Triathlon Club.

The sports hub will also be used by schools and the wider community.

The Taoiseach said it was a significant element of Tipperary County Council’s URDF (Urban Regeneration and Development Fund) project for the town.

Clonmel has a rich sporting heritage, dating back to dual Olympic champion Dr Pat O’Callaghan, and it was fitting that such a facility should be provided in a town with such sporting prowess.

The hub would mean that Clonmel could compete for regional, national and international events.

“As a doctor, politician and former Sports Minister, I am absolutely convinced that taxpayers’ money spent on sport is money well spent,” Mr Varadkar stated.

“It’s not just about physical and mental health. It’s about building communities, increasing participation for all and enabling high performance athletes, who give us so much pride and pleasure, to succeed.

“In the past ten years, we have invested almost half a billion in new sporting facilities all over Ireland. If we keep the economy strong and stick with the right policies, we can invest even more in sport in the next ten,” he added.

The Taoiseach said he had visited south Tipperary recently to announce 400 new jobs at the medical devices company Boston Scientific, as well as viewing the site of the new Garda station in Clonmel, work on which will begin within months, if not weeks; and the official opening of Bunscol na Cathrach in Cahir.

He said that these investments and others, which included a total investment of €10 million at the former Kickham Barracks in Clonmel; major investments at Fethard Town Park, the town centres in Cahir and Carrick-on-Suir, and at Tipperary University Hospital, would enhance the quality of life here and make Clonmel a much more vibrant and inviting place to live, work and socialise.

“It would be the catalyst for further investment,” he stated.

During his tour of the sports hub, the Taoiseach spoke with the family of Andrew Kearney, who worked passionately on the project but sadly passed away before its completion.

Andrew’s widow Audrey and family unveiled a bench in his memory.

President of TUS, Professor Vincent Cunnane said, “Clonmel is a university town, and this project is a manifestation of what that can mean.

“We are very proud of the partnership between Tipperary County Council and TUS and of the collaborations with business and sports clubs which brought this facility about.

“Together with Questum and our digital campus, there is a real impact resulting from having a Technological University located here in Clonmel in terms of the economy, the quality of life and the ability to attract and retain people in the region”.