Mayo sports clubs receive significant funding for key developments

Two Mayo soccer clubs have been awarded €25,000 each to develop walking tracks.

The IRFU and the FAI shared in a €1m fund under the Healthy Ireland Walking Tracks initiative.

Castlebar Celtic FC and Westport United are among the 21 clubs approved for funding by the IRFU and 22 by the FAI.

The funding will be used to make pitch-side walking track facilities more accessible to everyone in the community. For instance, lighting to prolong the hours of usage will be installed.

This is the second phase of the Healthy Ireland Walking Tracks initiative, which previously delivered €1.6m in funding to GAA clubs.

TD Alan Dillon emphasised the initiative’s impact.

“I have visited many GAA, soccer, and rugby clubs across the county who have already developed walking trails around their pitches which encourage people, not just members of their club, but others within the community, to get out and exercise,” he said.