€1 million development plan for Danesfort GAA Club

Fundraising has begun for a €1million development at Danesfort GAA club.

The Kilkenny club has studied sporting facilities across the country for inspiration and has already secured planning permission for the project.

At the recent meeting of Callan Thomastown Municipal District Committee councillors heard the new development will have dressing rooms and an Astroturf pitch. It will also have a coffee bar.

Anthony Dunne said the club needs a new building. Danesfort club members have visited other clubs around the country for ideas for this development, he said, to see what works best.

The plans are ambitious but, Mr Dunne said, the clubs they had visited said ‘don’t build it small’.

Addressing the councillors, who had earlier met local residents about traffic in the area, Mr Dunne told them to keep in mind that the development will mean a lot of traffic at the Waterford Road/ Danesfort junction.

He also told councillors the club would be asking them for help with any grants the club might qualify for, in support of the project.

Mr Dunne said the club hopes the new building will not just be for the GAA club but that it will be a ‘live’ building in the community. The building will be wheelchair friendly and it is hoped it will generate funds to finance itself.

“First and foremost, this development is for hurling and camogie,” Mr Dunne said.

District Chairman Patrick O’Neill said that Danesfort is a rural but very populated area, and the GAA club is the hub of activity there. He said there are numerous potential supports from the council.

Danesfort currently benefits from an excellent parish hall, Director of Services Mary Mulholland pointed out, and many communities are struggling for facilities. She asked how the new development would differ from the existing parish hall.

Mr Dunne acknowledged Danesfort has a community centre so they wanted to develop something different. Clubs they had visited said “do it right,” he said. This new centre will be named for health and fitness and will be commercial, he said.

The existing club house has just two changing rooms.

Ms Mulholland said that if the new centre is to be operated as a commercial entity it will not be eligible for many grants.

Cllr O’Neill clarified it would be a community hall but with a commercial aspect.

Ms Mulholland advised Mr Gunn to be careful going forward because the new development will be so close to the existing community hall, and he said the club understands this and have spent a long time thinking about their plans and this is why they are including features like the Astroturf playing pitch.

The council are certainly available for advice, Ms Mulholland offered.

Cllr Joe Lyons said a good example of two facilities working in tandem was in Callan where the soccer club and GAA club work together.

Cllr O’Neill said the community centre in Danesfort is pretty much at capacity and a second facility in the area would be good. He said he looks forward to seeing the project progress.

Planning Permission has been granted to Danesfort GAA Club for a new clubhouse to include, changing rooms, stores, gym, bar and meeting room, tea station, boiler room and spectator toilets; an extension to the existing ball wall with adjoining covered indoor Astroturf playing pitch; car and bus parking.