Galway clubs gets sports grant windfall

Galway GAA clubs were the county’s clear winners in the latest tranche of capital investment funding announced by Government.

Some 49 sports organisations across the city and county will benefit from the newest round of grants under the Sports Capital Programme.

Junior Minister for Sport, Michael Ring, confirmed that Galway’s allocation would total €2.32 million under the latest round of the scheme. Nationally, some €41 million in grants were announced.

The grants are awarded to local clubs to invest in infrastructure, improve facilities and buy new equipment. With a general election looming, the announcement was broadly welcomed by all Government TDs and general election candidates in all three of the constituencies.

It is the third sports capital programme announced since the Fine Gael and Labour Party coalition took office; it had been suspended between 2008 and 2011 due to the economic crisis.

As usual, and reflecting local sporting tradition and the huge number of people in Galway who are members of GAA clubs, the biggest slice of the cake went to Gaelic football, hurling, handball and camogie organisations.

Some 17 GAA clubs locally shared in a sum of almost €1.1 million, with Tuam Stars, Ardrahan GAA, Beagh GAA, and Claregalway GAA each receiving €95,000 for capital investment.

Soccer clubs also benefitted with a total of eight clubs sharing in €359,000, although the bulk of that was awarded to Bearna/Na Forbacha Aontaithe (€110,000) and Colga FC (€95,000).  Other notable allocations included €95,000 to Ballinasloe Rugby Club, €100,000 to Craughwell Athletic Club, €110,000 to Galway Lawn Tennis Club, and €82,000 to Gort Community Council Limited.

Galway West Fine Gael TD, Seán Kyne said the funding brings to €5.85 million in total for 117 sports clubs and organisations across Galway under this Government’s Sports Capital Programme since 2012.

See full story and full list of recipients in this week’s Connacht Tribune.