Sod turned on Monaghan GAA's Cloghan project
Chairman of Monaghan GAA County Board Declan Flanagan, left, with, Mary McEneaney, Communications Officer, Brendan Casey, Central Council Delegate and Michael Carroll, Planning & Training Officer, as they turned the sod at the new high performance centre extension at the VBC Monaghan GAA Centre of Excellence, Cloghan in Monaghan. Photo by Rory Geary/Sportsfile
Monday, May 19, 2025 will be remembered as a landmark date for Monaghan GAA as the official contract was signed to commence work on the long-anticipated VBC Monaghan GAA Centre Of Excellence Cloghan Development Project. This milestone was followed on June 11 by the significant turning of the sod ceremony.
After several years of planning, fundraising, and collaborative effort, the Cloghan Project has officially taken a major step forward. Representatives from the Coiste Bainistí, members of the design team, as well as officials from the LGFA and Camogie Association, gathered to mark the formal signing of the construction contract with the appointed contractor, Doohamlet Construction on May 19. The event, held at the VBC Monaghan GAA Centre of Excellence, signified more than just the start of a building project—it was the realisation of a collective vision that has been in the making for over five years.
Having turned the sod on Wednesday, June 11 the Cloghan Project is ready to go and will see the development of a state-of-the-art high-performance facility. This includes a modern strength and conditioning suite, medical and physiotherapy recovery rooms, a fully equipped auditorium for video analysis and team meetings, as well as flexible breakout and seminar rooms for coaching workshops and development sessions.
This new facility has been made possible thanks to a significant community and organisational fundraising drive. Key funding avenues included a lease agreement with the HSE during the global Covid-19 pandemic, the highly successful “Win a Home in Lanzarote” fundraiser, generous contributions through corporate donation schemes, and substantial support via Sports Capital and GAA Infrastructure Grants.
The facility will be used by all codes—GAA, LGFA, and Camogie—and will be available to all age groups, reinforcing the inclusive and developmental ethos of the VBC Centre of Excellence.
With sports medicine and athlete development evolving rapidly, this facility is designed to be best-in-class. It promises to elevate training, recovery, and coaching standards across the county teams and will serve as a lasting legacy for generations of Monaghan players to come.
The commencement of the Cloghan Project signals a new chapter not only for the physical infrastructure of Monaghan GAA, but for the broader vision of community, excellence, and inclusivity in sport.