This article is from page 68 of the 2011-09-13 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 68 JPG
COORACLARE has stepped forward to state its case for being nominated as the second most important GAA ground in Clare behind Cusack Park, with longtime delegate PJ McGuane telling Clare GAA that the west Clare venue “ticked all the boxes”.
The former Munster Council delegate told the meeting his was not aware “officially or unofficially” that a decision had been made by Croke Park officials as to which Clare ground should be given secondary county grounds status.
It’s widely perceived that Hennessy Memorial Park in Miltown is favoured by Croke Park and that this was communicated to the Clare County Board over a year ago, but according to McGuane, Cooraclare has a stronger case to retain the secondary county ground status it has enjoyed for nearly a quarter of a century.
“I have heard nothing, whether officially or unofficially on issue,” said McGuane. “The day I showed John Ryan and Tom Carroll around Cooraclare, that’s the last and first I heard from that committee. It went from there to the county board and I am prepared to wait for you to deliberate.
“If propaganda was going to get secondary county grounds Noel (Walsh) would have no problem get- ting it, because he has kept the whole issue in front of us in the public domain for the last couple of years.
“However, the facts of the matter are that my club sent a letter to the county board in July ‘09 – on foot of a communiqué from Cusack Park – wishing to have our status re-affirmed as a secondary county ground.
“We’ve had secondary county ground status since 1988 – it was proposed and seconded here at a board meeting. Subsequent to that, for the next five years we availed of a ten per cent grant which was in vogue at the time for secondary county grounds.
“In fairness to all the clubs that were inspected, everyone was entitled to be considered (for secondary county ground status) but it’s only the one club (St Joseph’s Miltown) that said anything about it in the last 12 months.
“Doonbeg were inspected, Kilmihil were inspected, Cooraclare were inspected, Kilmurry Ibrickane and a number of other clubs were inspected. All the clubs have magnificent facilities.
“The only thing I do know, Mr Chairman, is that there are set criteria set down for secondary county grounds and my club ticks all the boxes. If we are to be deprived of it, I’d like to know who ticks more boxes. I’m sure all the other clubs would like to know the same thing. If you are making an announcement I suggest you bear that in mind,” added McGuane.