Sponsor a seat in Kiltimagh's new stand

The redevelopment of Kiltimagh GAA Club’s Gilmartin Park is almost complete and will be opened next summer. The club has also built a new 242-seated cantilever stand, and developed two floodlit training areas as well as realigning its main pitch. The club is now actively fundraising to reduce its debt. The club has launched a unique fundraiser, a Sponsor a Seat campaign, where members of the club or the public can have a seat in the new stand named after them, or in their family name or in memory of someone that has passed. The sponsorship cost is €350 and is on a first come, first served basis. Seats will be randomly allocated through an open draw.

The ambitious development is set to transform its facilities and provide state-of-the-art amenities for players and supporters alike. The project, which has been in the works for several years, is a testament to the determination and vision of the club’s members, coaches and local community.

Brendan Mooney is chair of the development committee. He told the Western People that the project began well before the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We weren’t utilising all of our lands at Gilmartin Park and the pitches we had were insufficient to accommodate the growing number of players and teams at the club,” Brendan explained. “The vision was to create two championship-sized pitches, two floodlit training areas, and a new 242-seater cantilever stand, all of which are now taking shape. It's been a huge team effort from the entire club – players, coaches and volunteers have all supported the project.” 

The total cost of the development is expected to exceed €500,000. Mr Mooney said the club had some of the money saved from previous fundraising efforts, and secured two sports capital grants totalling €182,000 and a further €39,000 from Connacht GAA Council.

“We borrowed the balance from Clann Credo who provide loans to community organisations. Repayments on the loan are spread over 15 years, but it is our intention to clear it sooner than that. We want to ensure that we don’t put a financial strain on the club that could affect its future operations.” 

Brendan said the club was incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported it, whether through direct contributions or by lending a hand in fundraising efforts.

“We’ve also raised money through selling advertising signs around the pitch, and now we’re offering local families the chance to have their name or a loved one’s memorialised on a seat in the new stand.” 

The Kiltimagh club is in a unique position in that it has a very small catchment area and fewer business in the town than other towns around. This limits the size of the pool of available players and the sponsorship opportunities. The catchment area of Moy Davitts, Balla, Mayo Gaels, Claremorris, Swinford and Aghamore clubs all reach close to the town.

The club provides football for age groups ranging from under-4s to senior level, including both male and female players.

“Kiltimagh GAA is a dual club,” Brendan said. “We offer both Gaelic football and ladies Gaelic football, and this wide range of teams contributed to the need for expanded facilities. Currently, we have 17 teams playing and we’re often struggling to accommodate them with our existing facilities. This development is not just for the present but for the future. We’re building for the next generation of players.” 

One of the club’s key objectives with the development, is to create a space that can accommodate both the senior men’s and ladies’ teams playing on the same day.

“We want to celebrate our dual club status, with both teams playing on the same pitch in front of their families and supporters,” Brendan said. The new pitches are expected to be ready for action by the summer of 2025.

The club recently adopted a ‘Healthy Club’ policy, with a focus on promoting wellbeing, mental health and healthy living. Under the leadership of health and wellbeing officer Karen Forkan, the club has taken steps to discourage smoking and vaping at its facilities, setting an example for young players and ensuring a healthy environment for all members.

Kiltimagh GAA Club’s senior ladies team is experiencing a remarkable period of growth, with increasing numbers of players and a rising standard of football in very competitive competitions. The senior ladies team currently boasts around 20 to 22 players.

“The level of competition in ladies’ football has really increased over the past decade,” Vanessa Ryan, a member of the club, told the Western People.

“When we started we had a lot of players who had never played before, many were in my age group, and we didn’t even have the option to play in school. But now, the skill levels have risen dramatically and the team is taking its training and conditioning as seriously as any senior men's team.” 

Vanessa said that while the team’s early years were focused on learning the basics, the emphasis now is on peak fitness, tactical awareness and strength development.

“The players begin their preparation in January, working hard to build up their fitness in preparation for the competitive season. There's no question about it – the standards are higher now and the gap between the stronger teams and the weaker ones is closing. Teams that were once considered strong are being pushed and that’s creating a more competitive environment across all levels of ladies’ football,” Vanessa said. 

“It’s not just about physical ability either, the skill level and tactical play are far more advanced than when we first started.” 

Vanessa pointed to the important role that the visibility of women in sport plays in inspiring the next generation of female athletes.

“There’s been a huge shift in the media attention given to women’s sports and that has really helped raise the profile of ladies’ Gaelic football,” she said. “The girls look up to the female athletes they see on TV and in the media and that’s encouraging more young girls to get involved.

“The support for ladies’ football in the area has been fantastic. As a club, we’ve worked hard to ensure that there’s a pathway for girls from underage teams all the way through to senior level,” Vanessa explained. “It’s brilliant to see the younger players coming through the ranks with such skill and passion for the game. It’s an exciting time for women’s sport and especially for ladies’ Gaelic football.” 

Gerry King, the chairperson of Kiltimagh GAA, thanked the two local schools for the use of their pitches over the past few years.

“With the restrictions on our training facilities, we have been accommodated by the St Louis’ school with their astroturf, and the National School, who made their pitch available to us during the summer for about six to eight months,” Gerry said. “This took huge pressure off us for the training and the various underage teams.” 

Gerry said there was great cooperation between the schools and the club.

“We’ve maintained the national school pitch throughout the last two summers. It was of mutual benefit, supporting the schools and supporting ourselves. On behalf of the club, I sincerely thank the principals and board of management at both schools, for their cooperation while this development has been ongoing, and we’ll continue cooperating for the next number of years as well in various different ways.” 

Brendan Mooney said the club was always looking at how to make the GAA facilities more inclusive.

“Our aim is to attract people who might not necessarily be involved in Gaelic football. We want to create a space where the entire community can feel welcome, whether they’re watching a match or just taking a walk.” 

Brendan said that one of the key ideas under consideration is the creation of a walking track around the pitch. This would provide a safe, accessible route for local residents, particularly children and the elderly, to enjoy the outdoors while staying away from the main roads.

Looking further ahead, Brendan said the club is considering more community-friendly initiatives.

“We're a small club in a small parish but that doesn’t stop us from dreaming big. When you look at the progress we’ve made, it’s clear that everyone is pulling in the same direction. We learn from others, share ideas, and are committed to creating something that can benefit everyone in Kiltimagh.” 

As part of the long-term vision for the park, the club is also exploring ways to better integrate with the surrounding community, offering more than just a sports venue. The idea is to transform the GAA grounds into a hub of activity for all ages, creating a space that brings together people with diverse interests.

If you would like to sponsor a seat in the new Kiltimagh GAA stand you can get in contact with the committee on a dedicated email: kiltimaghgaaseats@gmail.com or by making contact with any member of the executive.