Faithful Fields upgrade takes precedence for Offaly GAA over O'Connor Park lights

PROVIDING an all weather training pitch at Faithful Fields in Kilcormac will take precedence over any ambitions to develop full floodlight facilities in O'Connor Park, Offaly GAA chairman Tom Parlon confirmed this week.

Planning permission has been sought from Offaly County Council for the new all weather facility, which will cost over €1 million – after developing state of the art training facilities debt free at Faithful Fields, the County Board hope to do the same with their new plans.

First though, they have to receive planning permission from Offaly County Council and this has been held up as the Council have sought additional information.

Faithful Fields was initially secured on a 99 year lease from Offaly County Council back in the early 2010s and fantastic facilities were developed including four floodlit playing pitches, one with a stand, an impressive complex with dressing rooms, gym, various meeting rooms and a small all weather warm up area.

Faithful Fields has been a great help as Offaly GAA has witnessed an unexpected renaissance in the 2020s, winning All-Ireland U20 football and hurling and Leinster minor football and hurling titles.

An additional fifteen acres has now been leased from local landowners, Tom Leonard and his son, Kieran, from nearby Blueball and the duo formally signed a 99 year lease on this with Offaly GAA chairman Tom Parlon and treasurer Frank Fitzpatrick in Portarlington on Friday afternoon.

Tom Leonard is the managing director of RFD Kitchen Gallery Ltd, a Portarlington based company who specialise in commercial and domestic fitouts.

They own 25 acres of land, near Kilcormac, the 15 acres leased to the County Board adjacent to Faithful Fields and an extra 10 acres elsewhere. The decision to lease the land to the County Board is especially poignant as it was owned by a very popular late Kilcormac man, Charlie Daly. A relation of Tom Leonard, Charlie was a lifelong hurling enthusiast and was a selector as Offaly won the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship for the first time in 1981. Charlie Daly's cottage remains standing on the Kilcormac side of Faithful Fields and has been renovated by Tom Leonard.

Tom Leonard stated that there was an emotional connection with their decision to lease to Offaly GAA. “He was big into Offaly GAA and he would be very proud now,” he said.

The negotiations were instigated by Offaly County Councillor and former Kilcormac-Killoughey dual player and senior hurling manager, John Leahy – the field will be available to Offaly Athletics for their annual Cross Country Championships.

A fundraising committee, headed once again by that great Banagher business man and GAA activist, Kieran Keenaghan, will bid to secure the local contribution for the upgrade, in addition to funding from the Government and the GAA's Leinster and Central Councils.

Mr Parlon stated they had been attempting to get extra land in the vicinity for some time and that they needed ground mainly for training purposes during the hard Winter preparation for all teams. The advent of full integration with ladies football and camogie will further increase demand on facilities and in addition to the all weather pitch, one additional training pitch will be provided, both with floodlights.

The land was used for training earlier this year and the yearly lease fee will be index linked – asked was selling it an option, Mr Leonard said they preferred not to do this and to lease it instead.

The development will be the major infrastructural project undertaken by the County Board in the immediate future. The other big project that needs to be examined is the provision of full floodlights in O'Connor Park to enable to hosting of night time National Football and Hurling League games and other fixtures.

“That is on our to do list certainly but this thing is going to take a while, it is not going to be done overnight,” Mr Parlon stated when asked about getting floodlights into O'Connor Park.

“We are very lucky to be getting a piece that is exactly adjoining us,” Mr Parlon smiled. “It is across a right of way and is good Kilcormac land. The Faithful Fields is as good a facility as any county training ground but we are already finding it has not enough capacity to meet all our training needs with development squads. Also the bulk of our training takes place in the Winter.”

SEE NEXT:Three home games for Offaly in Leinster Senior Hurling Championship as fixtures revealed

He spoke about the advantages of an all weather pitch and said they will be returning to people who initially supported Faithful Fields and others for financial support. “We are up for it and we have the committee in place,” he said.

The all weather pitch will also be available to schools, Mr Parlon revealed, thanking the Leonard's for facilitating it.