This article is from page 77 of the 2011-12-13 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 77 JPG
THE development of state of the art training facilities at Caherlohan on the outskirts of Tulla comes before the upgrading of the county flagship facility of Cusack Park to the standards required by Croke Park authorities.
That’s the verdict of Clare County Board secretary Pat Fitzgerald this week, with the de facto chief executive of Gaelic Games in the county warning delegates that Caherlohan – which has already had € 3m pumped into its development over the past five years – will not be opened unless “substantial” further investment at the facility.
That investment, says Fitzgerald, should be prioritized ahead of an upgrade of Cusack Park, which the county board has been required to by GAA headquarters if the capacity of the premier ground in the county is to be restored to a level where it could host top-flight inter-county games.
Against a backdrop of what has been described as the “bleak financial position” of Clare County Board finances, Fitzgerald will tell delegates to this Thursday’s annual Convention in the Auburn Lodge Hotel that the “cash-strapped” board “will have to prioritise our expenditure during the coming year”.
In his annual report, Fitzgerald says that the Caherlohan v Cusack Park debate over where to invest funds will ultimately come down to the decision of county board delegates.
However, his report makes it clear that putting Caherlohan at the head of the queue is his recommendation, because of the benefits that will accrue to county teams, development squads and clubs going forward.
“Let me make it crystal clear, it will be decision time,” says Fitzgerald.
“Do we invest in continued improvement work at Cusack Park at the expense of our centre of training excellence at Caherlohan where we’ve already invested over € 3million?
“It is also important for clubs to be aware that if there isn’t continued substantial investment in Caherlohan then the facility, which is urgently required, will remain a work in progress and will remain closed.
“Against that background, clubs will have to decide where we invest our money – in Cusack Park where we won’t get high profile games or in Caherlohan which will be to the benefit of every single county team, development squads and even clubs.
“Personally speaking, I think we have to prioritise Caherlohan while at the same time not ignoring the situation in Cusack Park.
“That’s my opinion but ultimately it’s you the clubs of Clare who will be the final arbitrators,” adds Fitzgerald.