Ballyhaunis revamp

Ballyhaunis revamp their facilities and invite Mayo to help cut the tape

Mike Finnerty

BALLYHAUNIS GAA Club will unveil their impressive new facilities next Monday with a senior football challenge between Mayo and Laois (throw-in at 3.30pm) providing the highlight of the opening day’s activities.
The East Mayo club have spent €560,000 on upgrading their facilities with four new dressing-rooms, a meeting/function room, a kitchen and a viewing area now sitting on the site of their old dressing-room complex.
A new perimeter fence has also been erected around the pitch itself, flanked by a concrete walkway which will allow supporters to take a stroll around the field before deciding where to watch the game from.
The redevelopment work began last September and the finishing touches are being applied this week.
“It’s something that we had been thinking about for a long time,” explained Connacht Council secretary John Prenty (a member of the development committee) last week.
“We’re delighted with the way it’s turned out and we think people will be really impressed with what they see next Monday. Hugh Rudden drove the project initially and we were very lucky that so many good people got involved at different stages.
“The development was designed by one of our players, Brendan Rudden, a company called Pitch Dimensions from Fermanagh did the work on the pitch, and our fund-raising committee played a huge role in making the development possible.”
Over €200,000 was raised by Padraic Regan’s fund-raising committee between a Christmas draw, a race night and pitch-side hoardings. So far 120 hoardings have been sold, raising approximately €180,000. The balance for the work was met by Lotto and GAA funding.
“The new facilities are a credit to everyone who was involved,” says John Prenty. “We’re looking forward to seeing people’s reaction next week because the place looks completely different now.”
The developments will be officially opened by the GAA’s Ard Stiúrthóir, Paraic Duffy at 2.45pm. Monday’s events get underway with an underage hurling match at 11.30 between Ballyhaunis and Tooreen and this was will be followed by a Centenary Cup game between Ballyhaunis and Aghamore at 12.45pm.
Ballyhaunis GAA club will also launch an updated magazine of the club’s history on the same day. It will be on sale at the grounds and will also be available in Newsround, Caulfields, Harvest Fresh, Moran’s and The Gem.