Achill GAA launch fundraising drive for new clubhouse

Anton McNulty

THE development of a new clubhouse for Achill GAA will become a ‘major milestone’ for the club and will benefit future generations of players, members of the community have been told.
The proposed new development which was launched in ÓstΡn OileΡn Achill on Saturday evening will cost an estimated €230,000 and is expected to commence next April and be completed at the end of 2016.
The two storey building which will be located on the site of the current dressing room will consist of four dressing rooms, a meeting room, medic room, officials changing rooms, offices, a kitchen and a community room which will be available to all sporting clubs in the parish to use. Assistant Chairman and current Achill player, Michael Denis McNamara outlined the vision behind the new facility which he said was definitely going ahead after the club secured a €65,000 Capital Sports Grant.

Strategic Plan
“We launched our strategic plan in 2014 and from that plan there came a real focus on the need for new facilities. There has been an increase in playing numbers registering and we have had more teams than we ever had before. This project comes at a perfect time to facilitate that increase.
“I have absolutely no doubt we will make this happen. The key ingredients to make this happen will be the people in this room and beyond. It will take a community effort to put this into place which we can be all proud of for many years to come.
“To see all the young people here who are going to benefit from the project really drives home why we should built this. They will benefit and get great joy out of this facility which is badly needed in this area,” he explained. The clubhouse was designed by local Design and Engineering Consultant, Aiden Masterson and Mr McNamara said as well as receiving the €65,000 grant, the club are also confident of getting another €25,000 from other state agencies and have applied for a grant from the Connacht Council of the GAA.
Achill GAA hope to raise €140,000 over the next 18 months to pay for the project and a number of fundraising initiatives were outlined at the launch. These include a Buy a Block campaign, a 30 from 30 initiative, the donation of building materials and an online campaign to allow the Achill Diaspora to make donations.   
 Mr McNamara said the different fundraising initiatives will allow members of the community  make donations at some level and all those who make donations will be given a certificate.
“Donations can be made through any club member or mentor activily involved in the club. When you make your donation a receipt will be given and at a later stage a certificate will be sent out.
“Not everyone is going to be in a position to donate financially and that is understandable. What we would ask as a club is if you can to donate your time. The time is worth as much to the club as a financial donation,” he said.