New pitch opening an important development for Cumann Pheadair Naofa, Warrenpoint
GAA President Jarlath Burns attended the official opening of St Peter's Warrenpoint's new pitch.
By Cian O'Connell
These are exciting times for those developing Gaelic games in Warrenpoint.
The recent opening of a new pitch at Cumann Pheadair Naofa playing fields at Páirc Liam Uí Ir, attended by GAA President Jarlath Burns, was a hugely significant occasion.
Logistical challenges exist, but this development will aid those developing Gaelic games in Warrenpoint. "The first GAA club in Warrenpoint was founded way back in 1888, it's an urban area where it's very difficult to get land," explains Warrenpoint's Club Development Officer Feargal McCormack.
"We've a One Club model, we also do a bit of Handball, and are very active in the GAAForALL.
"We've a very active club, and the issue has always been the availability of land. The club has a reasonably good field, but it only had one pitch. We're operating from four locations and have a strategic alliance with a school, using their pitch outside of school hours. We've also access to a council pitch and we need all of those things, but we've 35 teams."
So, when the opportunity was available to purchase land eight years ago, Warrenpoint responded quickly. "A piece of land which we'd been trying to get our hands on became available, adjacent to our existing field," McCormack says.
"It also allowed us to enhance the entrance to our pitch. We acquired it back in 2018, we did a few fundraising campaigns.
"We raised a bit of money, so it was big effort. There is a great spirit in the place with more than 1,000 members. In terms of that membership, 49 per cent is female, and 56.7 per cent is youth membership."
For the long term sustainability, McCormack is encouraged about the development and vibrancy of the club. A parade was held involving juvenile players in Warrenpoint with more than 750 attending the official opening of the new pitch. "Operating on four sites is not ideal, and the new pitch is acknowledged as a high quality pitch," McCormack says.
"We've full planning permission for the pitch and new dressing rooms which haven't yet been developed. The next phase will be the new dressing rooms which we particularly need for our female teams and GAAForALL teams.
"The GAAForALL was brought in about five years ago, and it's been phenomenal. People are coming from other clubs to us and we'd like to build around that spirit."