GAA President praises Westport’s community spirit

Pictured at the official opening of the new clubhouse and dressing rooms at Westport GAA Club on Friday evening last were Seamus Tuohy, Vice Chairman Mayo GAA; Ann Baynes, Club Treasurer; Austin Groden, Club Chairman, AogΡn Ó Fearghail, President of GAA; SeΡn Sammon, Club Secretary; Paddy Muldoon and John Prenty, Secretary Connacht GAA .?Pic Conor McKeown

Pat Lambert

On Friday last, April 15, Westport GAA club unveiled their new clubhouse facilities to great fanfare and colour. There to celebrate the occasion with club members was President of the GAA, AogΡn Ó Fearghail. A parade of Westport GAA members marched through the town in their club colours celebrating this great occasion for the club.
Members of teams from U-6s right through to the seniors marched in the parade from the Sacred Heart School, right through the town and down to the club’s new state-of-the-art clubhouse on the Newport Road. An exhibition of Gaelic Football, Hurling and Camogie was put on by the youthful members of the club.
First to address the large gathering was Chairman of the Senior club, Austin Groden. He outlined that this project had come to fruition after years of hard work and dedication from the members of the club’s board. He paid tribute to all the volunteers who have given up their time to fundraise and in particular coach the kids.
Club veteran Paddy Muldoon was next on the stage and he gave an historic background of the club and how it has grown since the last major facility opening back in 1958 when the club’s grounds were opened.
The President of the GAA, AogΡn Ó Fearghail spoke about the community spirit he could feel from just being in Westport for a couple of short hours. He also went on to praise the club for the amount of young members they have, evident from the noise which was being created from the astro turf where young members were playing away whilst he was making his speech.
“I love that sound of young lads and girls playing our games, that’s what the GAA is all about,” said the President. The newly refurbished clubhouse itself includes four new dressing rooms, a kitchen and a function room.