Faithful Fields a sign of brighter future for Offaly
It was entirely out of keeping with the history of the GAA that a county numbering fewer that 60,000 people should enjoy a sustained period of success in either football or hurling, let alone in both codes.
The fall from such heights has been steep. Over the last decade and more, the GAA in Offaly has stagnated and has been pulled asunder by infighting and corrosive criticism.
The Faithful Fields project is a timely reminder of the capacity of Offaly GAA to succeed when it unites in a project.
The key aspects of this new project include four new pitches (two fully floodlit); a complex with six modern dressing rooms, a meeting room/dining area and a weights/circuit training room; and a ball-wall with an all-weather surface.
The location of the new facility near Kilcormac — on the marshlands between what have traditionally been considered the hurling and football areas of the county — places it at the very heart of Offaly.
Its opening is a supreme collaborative effort. The provision of land on a long-term lease by Offaly County Council was of crucial assistance.
Substantial contributions were received from Leinster Council GAA, West Offaly Enterprise Fund, the Sports Capital Programme and the GAA at central level.
Crucially, local fundraising efforts organised by the Offaly GAA Training Centre Work Group, under chairperson Kieran Keenaghan, ensured that some €750,000 has been collected and the facility is now essentially debt-free.
In a county as small as Offaly — and one that suffered brutally during the economic crash — this is a hugely significant achievement.
It is an achievement that should be measured in more than money. The quality of the facility underlines a commitment to excellence that is a credit to all involved.
More than anything, it marks a new beginning when one is badly needed — and craved.
And the last word deservedly goes to the men and women of the Training Centre Work Group who have done enormous service in the provision of this new facility: ‘For over 30 years Offaly — sometimes alone—stood up for the smaller counties, taking on the kings of hurling and football and beating them at their own game….
This development is no luxury — it is an essential element in restoring the status of this county.
