All-weather GAA pitch in Carbery would be a game-changer, if the project gets green light

THERE’S nothing like another storm – and the raft of postponements it causes – to shine a spotlight back on a project that has been on the Carbery GAA to-do list for a number of years: its plans to develop an all-weather pitch in the division.

In April 2018, The Southern Star explained how Carbery GAA was exploring the possibility of building a 4G pitch in West Cork. 

Six years on, little has changed: we’re still in exploratory mode, and not much wiser about the project.

In April ’18, it was on the agenda. By the end of the same year, the board had shelved the idea, citing the ‘huge cost in building and maintaining such a pitch’ as the reason. It’s now April 2024, and here we are, writing about the local divisional board investigating if this is a runner despite being told by the powers-that-be in recent years that this ‘has to happen’ and being warned that Carbery will ‘be left behind’ unless it pushes ahead with its plans.

At the 2023 Carbery GAA Convention held in early December, chairman Aidan O’Rourke, powerfully, outlined why this geographically huge division, which caters for 26 clubs, needs its own 4G pitch. 

On week nights before and after the convention, two Carbery U21A football championship games – Newcestown v Owen Gaels, Newcestown v Castlehaven – were moved outside the division and brought up to the city to Bishopstown GAA Club’s 4G astroturf pitch to ensure they would be played. With this never-ending winter stretching from last summer to now, local pitches are shipping water, literally, and feeling the effects.

‘We have to go to Bishopstown to the 4G pitch because no playable pitch was available here due to the weather and the conditions,’ Aidan O’Rourke explained in December, and it was further evidence that West Cork GAA is crying out for its own astroturf facility.

The Newcestown clubman has been vocal on Carbery GAA’s need for an all-weather 4G pitch since he began his three-year term as chairman, telling the Star in February 2022: ‘We feel that it is imperative. A Carbery GAA all-weather 4G pitch has to happen,’ adding ‘I think it would benefit every club in the division.’

The benefits are obvious: if Carbery GAA has its own astroturf pitch, a place it could call home, it would guarantee a facility to play games throughout the year, as well as for teams to train. Look at last weekend as the latest example – as soon as Storm Kathleen rolled into town, local games on both Friday and Saturday were postponed. In condensed club calendars, it’s not ideal. Think of the grass pitches, too, in trouble by early April.

Here’s a tale from another sport. Clonakilty Rugby Club rightly hailed its new 4G all-weather astro pitch as transformative; the club needed the facility to cater to its growing membership. Now, let’s look at the U16 girls’ team that won both Munster league and cup titles this season. Their manager, Trevor Buttimer, told this paper that the panel missed only two training sessions all seasons, and both because of weather warnings. He noted: ‘Having the all-weather astroturf pitch available is a huge plus. We were able to train consistently throughout the season, and we had consistent numbers and that all helps to raise standards. It meant we were improving all through the season.’

Turn your eyes north to Banteer’s impressive astro-turf pitch that’s the envy of many, too. When the Cork ladies senior football squad couldn’t train at Cloughduv last Friday night, again because of the weather, the session was held in Banteer instead. When Mallow GAA Club couldn’t host the Division 1 ladies national league game between Cork and Mayo because of an unplayable pitch, it was moved to Supervalu Páirc Uí Chaoimh 4G pitch and played there instead. Just a few examples of how these all-weather pitches live up to their name. So will Carbery GAA get one of their own? 

Chairman Aidan O’Rourke was bullish at the Carbery convention, issuing a rallying cry: ‘We have to move this forward, to get it off the ground, because we’re probably one of the only divisions now without this facility. It would be for everybody, it would be for underage, for adults, for clubs for training. It’s something we have to look at and to put our shoulders to the wheel to provide. I would appeal to you when you’re asked to give a hand in this, that you’d back it and back it 100 percent. If we don’t we’ll be left behind and left in a mess in the middle of winter. That’s a reality.’

Suddenly, it’s all gone quiet. The board has gone from vocal to tightlipped, a strange stance given how they’ve spoken before about the need for support within the region. A tweet from the Star Sports Editor on ‘X’ to gauge peoples’ opinions had over 16,000 views with several people in favour of this project.

‘Still expecting lads from Skibbereen and Castlehaven and the Beara peninsula to travel to SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh 4G or Mallow to play games. I would love to see a centre in the Carbery area,’ one local man said. Another added: ‘It's badly needed. Every division should have one in a central location. Weather getting worse and seasons lasting longer and starting earlier. Clubs should row in behind it as it benefits all. Could play all year round then.’

‘Great idea if the Carbery board can get the funding. But, first question: where would we build it? Carbery is a massive division,’ another asked.

The Carbery board is keeping its cards close to its chest right now.

‘The executive of the Carbery Board does not comment publicly on any ongoing projects and therefore we are unable at this time to offer any comment on your queries regarding same,’ a statement from the board read after The Southern Star asked for an update over the weekend.

‘The executive of the Carbery Board will conduct its affairs in full consultation with the clubs of the division and any developments will in turn be released to all media outlets so that your readers may be informed.’

Developments, it seems, have been slow this year, as several clubs contacted by this paper had not received any official correspondence from the board in relation to this planned all-weather facility. 

Previously, former Carbery GAA Board development officer George Gill presented his findings on the project for the 2022 Carbery Convention. He explained: ‘It has long been discussed the potential for the division to develop an all-weather or 4G pitch that can be used to take pressure off club pitches and also provide a full-time training pitch for divisional development teams.’ Gill added: ‘This will be a long-term project, a major development and financial undertaking for the division.’ A quotation from a leading provider of artificial grass pitches, supplied in 2022, costed the project at almost €950k including VAT. 

The location of a Carbery all-weather development has been a source of discussion and debate.

‘We need somewhere in the central part of the division, it has to be somewhere like Dunmanway, Ballineen, in that area,’ Aidan O’Rourke has said, but as of now there is still no planned site for this project. There is also no certainty that this will happen, given the scale of the development and the finances needed to purchase land and then develop it.

This will be a multi-million euro project, and the Carbery board needs to decide whether it’s a runner or not, and whether it’s within their powers – the divisional board is, after all, a subcommittee of the county board – to push ahead with a game-changing facility for GAA locally. We await with interest the next update from the Carbery board.