Progress made on Mayo GAA centre of excellence

MAYO GAA has requested a cost analysis for the development of a centre of excellence in Castlebar.

First announced in December 2022, Mayo GAA aims to develop a new centre of excellence following the acquisition of land at Mulvey Park, which is situated near Castlebar Mitchels home ground of Josie Munnelly Park.

It is planned to establish three pitches - including a 4G surface - a ball-wall, and a six-lane running track at the facility.

Mayo GAA has been in negotiation with Castlebar Mitchels, Mayo County Council and the OPW over the project.

Touhy told last December’s county convention that fundraising would not start until agreement had been reached with all the relevant stakeholders.

“We have asked for a cost analysis to be done and groundswork to be done on the development before we present it to the county board to know exactly what we’re talking about here,” Touhy said at the May meeting of Mayo GAA’s county board.

“When that’s completed, we’ll present the draft plan to the county delegates for their attention.”

John Farragher, Garrymore GAA’s delegate, said he did not want to see the costings for the development leaked to the media in advance of it being presented to delegates.

Farragher was referring to a report regarding Mayo GAA’s tax affairs which appeared in the Irish Independent the day before the 2023 Mayo GAA convention.

The figures contained in the article were cited from Mayo GAA’s 2023 financial report, which had been circulated to clubs days previously.

The article referred to a tax liability in excess of €100,000 which was primarily related to the payment of wages at Cúl camps.

County board delegates were last updated on the matter at the April meeting of the county board when Mayo GAA Treasurer Valerie Murphy said that the Mayo GAA was seeking an update from the Revenue Commission on the matter.

The matter was not discussed in detail at the 2023 county convention due to the ‘extremely sensitive’ nature of the case.

“That’s totally undermining the officers, and the executive,” said Farragher in relation to the leak prior to the convention.

In reply, Touhy said he was ‘very disappointed’ to see details of Mayo GAA’s finances reported in the media before the county convention.

“We’ll do our best to feed that [costings on Mulvey Park] immediately to the delegates once that information is available,” said Touhy.

Speaking to The Mayo News, Mayo GAA Secretary Ronan Kirrane said that there had been no update from the Revenue Commission on the matter.

“Whenever it comes it, we will be telling delegates, but there has been no movement on it,” said Kirrane.