Club Chairperson Marion McEvilly, Ciaran Cannon TD, Club Development Officer Mark Gillen,
Minister of Sport Mr Michael Ring TD, Cllr Mogie Maher and Facility Development Officer Michael Tobin
at the turning of the sod at Craughwell AC’s new facility

The athletic club was honoured recently to be host to Minister for Sport Michael Ring TD and Ciaran Cannon TD when they visited its new 8-acre site in Crinnage to perform the official turning of the first sod on the new facility. A large crowd of parents and young athletes attended the event to witness the launch. Organised by Ciaran Cannon TD, the ceremony was a significant milestone for the club who were awarded a €100,000 Sports Capital Grant last year for lighting and sprint lanes. The club hope to have the work carried out during the summer months so that the facility is up and running at full capacity for the Autumn.

With an election almost upon us, the club wish to draw parents attention to Ciaran Cannon’s trojan work on its behalf in securing the grant award and also to the extremely valuable support from 3 other candidates who are also going foward for election to Dail Eireann – Councillors Micheal Fahy, Anne Rabbitte and Sean Canney who all supported the taking of the roadway into the facility into public charge by Galway County Council and contributed significant funds from their Notice of Motion monies to help take the roadway to the required standard before it coud be taken public.

The club greatly appreciate the support of all of the above and wish to highlight their contribution to the club in this the week of the General Election.

And just a quick update on timelines of development of the facility:-

• The 2015 Sports Capital funding was awarded towards the provision of 8 new floodlights which will light up the remainder of the 8-acre sports field and towards the provision of sprint lanes and long jump runways.Realistically with all the bad weather, it will be towards the summer months when the work is done. All going well with fund-raising, the club will hopefully have all of the work done during the summer months so that the new facilities will come into use in September.
• The club are additionally developing a high jump area with funds from a previous grant award along with a substantial loan from Community Finance Ireland.
• Part of the loan from CFI will go towards the provision of an internal roadway and carpark inside the 8-acre grounds which is a key part of the infrastructure required but not eligible for sports capital funding.
• It is hoped that all of the above will be completed by the end of August subject to weather and subject to additional fund-raising that the club hope to do over the next number of months.