Shamrock Rovers FC Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

SectionF wrote: »

I understand the sentiment, but it's a straight fight between football and GAA.

I'll support Franchise through this with gritted teeth even though it is sheer vandalism setting up a LoI club two miles from Bohs.

Wednesday April 01 2009

CASTLEMAINE sportsfield, which is at the centre of a bitter dispute between local GAA and soccer clubs, was ploughed on the instructions of the GAA before the weekend.

Following the nighttime ploughing of the sportsfield, which is regularly used by the local soccer club, a hole was dug in the middle of Milltown/ Castlemaine GAA pitch late on Saturday night, forcing an under-21 game to be moved to another venue on Sunday afternoon.

County GAA Board Chairman Jerome Conway confirmed to The Kerryman that the sportsfield, which is the home ground of Castlemaine United soccer club, was ploughed on instructions from the GAA on Thursday. Soccer goalposts standing in the middle of the field are the only remaining evidence of sporting exploits there.

While local groups dispute the GAA's claim to exclusive ownership of the sportsfield, Mr Conway insisted the board had acted within its rights. In October, Milltown/ Castlemaine GAA Club was granted planning permission to redevelop the pitch, erect floodlights and construct a car park and associated services, despite an application from the soccer club for leave of appeal.

"The property belongs to the GAA and there's no debate about ownership as there is documentation there," Mr Conway stated, adding: "Of course the field was ploughed by the GAA".

Asked why the actions had been carried out in darkness, Mr Conway said he was unsure.

"The long term objective is to develop the pitch properly as there is a slope on it. We have been given a directive by Croke Park to use the property according to the rules and that's what we are doing," he added.

The actions mean that local soccer club Castlemaine United are now without a home ground, despite having used the pitch since their inception two decades ago. The suspension of GAA's Rule 42, banning soccer from the association's pitches, does not apply outside Croke Park.

The newly-formed Castlemaine Community Sportsfield Action Group — representing local community groups including Castlemaine United AFC — are furious that the GAA has had the pitch ploughed.

The group argues that the sportsfield was originally handed over to the general community by the Spring Walker family in 1936, had always been a community field and had merely been placed in the trust of the GAA. They point to carnivals, community fairs, sheep shearing, dog shows, tennis and basketball events held in the sportsfield to support their claim.

At a fiery meeting hosted by the group in Castlemaine Community Centre on Monday night, plans were initiated for a community-wide petition condemning the GAA's actions, with possible protest also planned outside Kerry County Board offices.

"This is the greatest bit of scamping I've seen for a long time," one angry action group member stated.

"Our group has had to resort to blockading and chaining. We will cover the entrance with cars every night if we have to," chairman Charlie Boyle stated.

Others present at Monday's meeting claimed the actions were "an insult to the children of the community". "Our event in June has gone, as has the Easter camp here," one stated.

"It is now very cheeky of the GAA club to come over and do their lotto draw in our village," the group's assistant PRO Brendan O'Reilly added.

The community group is now planning to reseed the pitch and a call for locals to help remove stones from the ground will be made in the coming days.

The action group is to lodge a petition with the Circuit Court seeking an injunction restraining Milltown Castlemaine GAA club from further interference at the site.

Meanhile, former senior captain of Milltown Castlemaine GAA club and player manager of Castlemaine United AFC, Jason Giles expressed his dismay at the recent developments and has decided to take action: "I will not be renewing my membership with Milltown/ Castlemaine GAA, a club I've been a lifelong member of. It's nothing against the players but I've been given no choice following this."

- KEVIN HUGHES khughes@kerryman.ie