'A small club with a massive heart' - Offaly GAA club wins €5,000 to improve facilities

An Offaly GAA club has won €5,000 to improve its facilities at its ground Ballycommon GAA Club has been chosen winners of the Offaly County award in this year’s Texaco Support for Sport initiative. €5,000 has been presented to the Club to fund further improvements to its facilities.

A rural club, Ballycommon GAA has been on a journey of rebuild for some years, both on and off the pitch. Between the Club's two teams, it recently won three championships and a league title, and the progress at its grounds has mirrored this playing success. Modernising its amenities, the Club has been undertaking the development of a new gym, home dressing rooms, walking tracks, parking and access facilities.

Now in its fifth year, the Texaco Support for Sport initiative – organised by Valero Energy (Ireland) Limited, the company that markets fuel in Ireland under the Texaco brand – sees a fund of €130,000 set aside annually for allocation in equal amounts of EUR5,000 to successful applicants chosen on a county-by-county basis.

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Previous Offaly winners were Drumcullen GAA Club (2021), Cappincur’s Offaly Rowing Club (2022), Walsh Island GAA Club (2023) and Moneygall Football Club (2024).

Congratulating the county winners on the immense contribution that they make to the heart of community life in Ireland, James Twohig, Director of Ireland Operations, Valero Energy (Ireland) Limited was particularly praiseworthy of the unstinting work of club officials and volunteers, and noted that “since its inception, we are proud to have distributed almost €650,000 to a variety of more than 125 sports clubs under the Texaco Support for Sport initiative.”

Overseeing the judging process was Texaco Support for Sport ambassador, former Irish rugby international and well-known broadcaster, Donncha O’Callaghan. Commenting, he said: “As adjudicator – and from my knowledge of sport gained at junior, senior and international level – the most reassuring aspect of the Texaco Support for Sport initiative is that it gives clubs rare access to funds which are not linked to popularity, membership size or success.”

Describing the Offaly club as ‘a worthy winner’, he went on to add, “a small club with a massive heart, Ballycommon GAA Club is the focal point of this beautiful rural community. The Club’s success is built on its incredible community spirit and this Texaco award will help further improve the facilities for the benefit of all members – well done.”

Entries for the 2026 Texaco Support for Sport initiative will open again in the New Year for all clubs, including those whose application may have been unsuccessful previously.

Further information see www.TexacoSupportforSport.com