Nenagh Eire Og have ambitious plans for the future

 

  

By Shane Brophy 

  

Nenagh Eire Og GAA club have revealed ambitious plans to upgrade their playing and training facilities at MacDonagh Park. 

The closure of MacDonagh Park over the past week due to the Covid-19 outbreak has inadvertently allowed the club to get some remedial work done, such as filling pot-holes in the car park but that is only small fry compared to the development of a new playing pitch and the erection of a new hurling wall in the coming years. 

Following the economic downturn over a decade ago, an opportunity arose for the club to purchase land adjacent between the Monaree and Castle Oak housing estates, which was initially zoned for private housing, before being subsequently taken over by Tipperary County Council. 

This land will see the development of a new sand-based playing pitch which will be accessed from the dark road as well as a walking route from the club’s main pitch. This pitch will also have provision for floodlighting in time, as well as lit walking route. 

Planning permission had been sought for this phase which was initially set to be decided on by the end of this month but made be delayed because of the coronavirus outbreak. 

Also included in this phase will be amendment works to the main pitch which will see the concrete seating on either side of the pitch being removed with the playing pitch to be widened. 

Also, the grass bank on the complex side of the ground will also be removed which will allow for the provision of a new training area where the hurling wall will be erected in time, as part of phase 2 but fundraising plans will see both projects grouped together. 

However, the initial focus is on getting the new playing pitch in development and club chairman John Tooher complimented the business community of the town whose support through purchasing advertising signs in the ground over the past two years created the funds for the purchase of the land, along with a bank loan. 

“The local businesses have been a brilliant support to us and as an appreciation of that we have provided office space above our handball alley for the Nenagh Chamber of Commerce as a mark of appreciation to the business community,” he said. 

Nenagh Eire Og is a one club organisation with the adult, juvenile and camogie clubs working as one and with a growing playing population, the demand on its initial facilities has reached breaking point. 

“There is a crisis from February to April each year to get training pitches as there is such a huge demand with all our teams,” John Tooher said. 

“The hurling wall is a modern day priority. We are lucky enough we have a close relationship with Nenagh College who allow us to use their facilities and we'd like to thank them as well. 

“The main concern within the club over the last year when I was treasurer was in terms of managing everyone’s expectations in tandem with the needs. My priority was not to put a financial millstone around our neck so it was important we progressed with seeking planning for the field which we have and hopefully we'll receive some news by the end of this month and hopefully we'll get a positive result. 

“This week we are hopeful we will be ready to submit planning for the hurling wall at the end of the Complex. It is an exciting location. Our biggest problem was trying to decide where to put it. The complex has been open for over thirty years so it will allow us to re-invent the use of the complex. 

“It's a project that is in its initial stages but the wall be accessible from the dressing rooms and will be isolated in terms of safety.  

Financing the project will come from a number of sources, including government and GAA grants with former club and Tipperary great Conor O’Donovan in charge of that aspect, while the club are also hoping to secure planning permission to erect a mobile phone mast, which was rejected by Tipperary Council but that has now been appealing to An Bord Pleanala.  

The total cost of the project hasn’t been revealed but John Tooher says is it vital to provide the next generation of Nenagh Eire Og players the best facilities to play and train in. 

“Ambition is best achieved by attaching one link at a time and I am trying to apply that logic,” added Nenagh chairman John Tooher.  

“The project itself is very excitement and fairness to people in the past they built a complex when times were tough, they built a stand when finances were tough so basically the ball is in our court now as this generation to try and deliver the next particular dream and take the complex for the town of Nenagh into the next phase.”