Amenity plans to give ‘mini’ rugby club a foothold in the community

At the launch of the Galway Bay Rugby Club’s Thousandaire fundraiser in O’Reilly’s Bar, Salthill, were: Anthony O’Reilly, sponsor; Brian Harte, club chairperson; Peter McCabe, Connacht Rugby Club prop; Richard Hartmann, of Hartmann’s Jewellers; John Ryan, sponsor from the Ardilaun Hotel; Aengus Burns, sponsor from Grant Thornton; Steve Crosbie of Connacht rugby; Conor Carey, Connacht Rugby; and Jimmy Duffy, forwards coach with Connacht Rugby.

placeholder image — At the launch of the Galway Bay Rugby Club’s Thousandaire fundraiser in O’Reilly’s Bar, Salthill, were: Anthony O’Reilly, sponsor; Brian Harte, club chairperson; Peter McCabe, Connacht Rugby Club prop; Richard Hartmann, of Hartmann’s Jewellers; John Ryan, sponsor from the Ardilaun Hotel; Aengus Burns, sponsor from Grant Thornton; Steve Crosbie of Connacht rugby; Conor Carey, Connacht Rugby; and Jimmy Duffy, forwards coach with Connacht Rugby.

Talking Sport with Stephen Glennon

Galway Bay Rugby Club – formerly Barna Knocknacarra Rugby Club – may be one of the youngest sporting entities in the region but it is also one of the most progressive with plans already afoot to expand with the aid of proposals before Galway City Council.

Chairman of Galway Bay RC, Brian Harte is in high spirits when he sits down with Talking Sport and he has every reason to be. Earlier in the week, he received the second draft of Galway City Council’s proposals on the ‘Kingston Recreation & Amenity Zoned Lands’.

In the updated and redrawn plan, it is proposed an array of new facilities would be installed and made available to a myriad of social and sports clubs, including Galway Bay RC, at Kingston and at Miller’s Lane.

“The new document was emailed to me last night by the City Council and we are absolutely delighted (with the proposals),” says Harte, who has two sons himself playing ‘mini’ rugby for Galway Bay.

“The first draft came out last April recommending facilities in a new park in Kingston, right beside Knocknacarra school. They are also recommending a major upgrade in Miller’s Lane to give better facilities to Galway Bohemians soccer and also to move Galway Hockey Club from Dangan to the upper pitch up there.

“So, the first draft of that went out in April of last year and there were numerous consultations and inputs from new clubs. This week, the City Council has issued the revised recommendations based on input from sports clubs and community groups and residents.”

The new draft has made provision for a 100m sized pitch, three cages of all-weather surfaces, a car-park with 68 berths and a community centre incorporating dressing-rooms and a clubhouse.

“That is going to be voted on over the next few City Council meetings and that would give us a great foothold in the community. The facilities are to be shared with other clubs and groups like Galway Scouts and Salthill/Knocknacarra GAA football for summer training and things like that. It would not just be for our club but we would be major stakeholders. So, this is our future.”

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.