Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh now one of the best pitches in county
Coverage of the grand opening in the Donegal News.
Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh now one of the best pitches in county
President of Ulster Council Tom Daly gets backing of Peter Quinn for GAA top job
Donegal slip down to Sligo defeat
By Chris McNulty in Ballyshannon
Situated adjacent to the old Workhouse on a site under the watchful gaze of the historical Church of St Anne that overlooks it, the new Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh in Ballyshannon carries plenty of local history with it.
One hundred years ago, the GAA in the Erne-side town took its first steps on the same patch of ground and in the 1980s after a protracted campaign and a long fight, the Aodh Ruadh club regained ownership of 'Munday's Field' from the Council.
The club, formed in 1909, has been playing in Fr Tierney Park since 1954 and in '81 they began renting Munday's Field, which by then was under the ownership of the County Council.
Five years later, the Park/Development Committee of the Club began a determined campaign to secure the land with a 53-house development imminent on the site. By the end of 1987, agreement was reached and the site was again under ownership of the local club.
Twenty two years on, the former Munday's Field is now easily one of the best surfaces and one of the best developments in the County. It was a proud night for Ulster Council Chairman Tom Daly, an Aodh Ruadh clubman who was the man with the shoulder at the wheel to steer much of the work and who performed the official opening before the game between Donegal and Sligo.
"This was achieved through a team and a community effort," Daly told the large crowd. Daly thanked the likes of John Keown, Michael McLoone, the McGrath family, the McDaid family and Jack Grimes for the parts they played over the years and he took time to remember people like Sean Slevin and Phil McLoone, who sadly did not live to see the project come to fruition.
"When you want a hat, you go to a hatter and we made a good choice in getting Joe Prunty to do the job here. These aren't good times in the country, but we come here tonight and we see that the GAA is leading the way," he added.
Sylvester Maguire, Aodh Ruadh's senior team manager and a member of the 1992 All Ireland winning squad, acted as MC for the Official Opening Ceremony while Rev Brian Russell, Fr Cathal O Fearraigh and Fr Frank McManus performed a blessing.
An Tánaiste Mary Coughlan TD praised the 'Enthusiasm and courage of the Club' and added: "Aodh Ruadh is a very strong club and you have a fine facility here, you should all be very proud of it."
Cllr Pat O'Malley, Chairman of Ballyshannon Town Council said: "This is one of the finest facilities that Ballyshannon has ever seen and we now have facilities to cather for all the young people in the area for Gaelic Football and Hurling."
Club Chairman Terence McShea said it was a 'great honour' to serve as Chairman during the club's centenary year and said the new development that comprises two playing pitches were a 'great tribute'.
He commented: "They are a tribute, not only to those who envisaged, implemented and executed this project, but to those who have kept the flame of our national sporting culture burning on the banks of the Erne down the decades.
"Aodh Ruadh has always been an ambitious club, on and off the field, and this development is in keeping with that pioneering spirit. The vision at Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh was made reality by the Aodh Ruadh Park/Development committee, headed by Tom Daly and very great credit must go to this hard-working group.
"Our focus at all times is on our players. The driving force behind this development is the commitment to provide our playing members with the very best. The opening of Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh helps us in our goal to bring Gaelic Games to the largest number of people possible in a quality environment."