A Chairde,In recent weeks it has become apparent that Claregalway GAA have progressed a plan to replace the main playing pitch in Claregalway with an artificial surface. There is a strong view within both the Community and the Club membership that Claregalway GAA club would be best served by a natural, sand-based grass pitch, built with the intention of maintaining Claregalway GAA’s position at the heart of the village. The current plans, as outlined by the Officers, are to maintain a link between the Club and the Village, as the club relocates most activity to Knockdoemore, and the schools become the primary tenants of the current main pitch.It is important that the sterling work of the current and recent GAA Club executives in providing a top-class training facility at Knockdoemore be acknowledged. The purpose of this letter is not to criticise, but rather to inform, and highlight concerns raised by the people of our Parish in recent weeks.Ours is not a village overburdened with community facilities, and the GAA club represent the best of who we are and what we do, particularly when it comes to our young people. The draft county development plan includes Claregalway Village within the Galway Metropolitan Area and provides zoning for 390 new houses in the Village by the end of 2028. This represents the vast majority of new residences within the GAA Club’s catchment area for the foreseeable future. It is crucial that the Club and Community engage fully with all these new residents. The path to such engagement is via a prominent GAA presence at the centre of the Village.The draft county development plan also makes provision for large tracts of open space/recreation and amenity lands within the village, particularly in the Lakeview area. While the secondary school as yet has shown limited appetite to invest in playing facilities for its pupils, there is no doubt that they will have the opportunity to do so in the very near future.There exists an opportunity to have both grass and artificial playing surfaces in the heart of our Village. This would allow us to continue to honour the sporting tradition of our Parish, while catering for the growing needs of the wider community. The Club’s current plans do not do this – they convert the primary green space in our village into a fenced-off winter training facility. They also rid the Village of a prominent GAA presence that the community worked extremely hard to establish.We ask that the GAA Club Officers, who take their mandate from an AGM in 2019 that had 29 attendees, reconsider the various options available to them and plot a path forward that best serves the Club and the community at large.Is léir go bhfuil seans againn rud álainn ‘s íontach a dhéanamh lenár bpáirc imeartha i mBaile Chláir. Caithfimíd a bheith cúramach an rud cheart a dhéanamh, nó mbeidh fadhbanna againn ar fad ar feadh blianta seo chugainn.Muidne le meas,John Commins, RooaunmoreWilliam Morris, CregboyFergus Madden, Cregboy, TrusteeSeoirse Morris, Cregboy, TrusteeMartin Nally, Waterdale, Founder MemberPaddy Glennon, Mullacuttra, Founder MemberPaddy Walsh, Gortadooey, Founder MemberMalachy Qualter, Loughgeorge, Hon. Vice PresidentAdrian Faherty, RockwoodBrian Loughlin, CregboyBrian Moran, LakeviewConor Costello, CastlegarDamien Dolan, GortaclevaDanny Cummins, CarnmoreDavid Morris, CregboyDeclan O’Brien, CarnmoreDerek Long, KiniskaEoghan Commins, RooaunmoreGerard Cullinan, CahergowanJack Hession, LoughgeorgeJarlath Brennan, CregboyJimmy Duggan, LakeviewJimmy Duggan, MontiaghJimmy Noone, CrusheenJoe Duggan, LakeviewJohn Lenihan (Jackie), LakeviewJohn Moran, CloonJohn Paul O’Connell, CloonbiggeenJohnny Duggan, LydicanJohnny Long, KiniskaJohnny Noone, CrusheenJoseph Morris, CregboyMarie Dempsey, CregboyMartin Commins, RooaunmoreMichael O’Connor, CloonacauneenMichael Walsh, GortaclevaPaddy Moran, CloonPat McCartan, LakeviewSeán Newell, MontiaghTom Lenihan, LakeviewTom Hughes, ClaregalwayTom Newell, MontiaghTommy Duggan, Lakeview
