Has our club any legal rights to use local GAA field

wextipp

I am a member of a small athletic club. The club has being using the local GAA pitch to train kids for the last 30 years. Back in the 80'a a new field was purchased and the athletic club helped to raise a large proportion of the funds reuquired to purchase it (it's mentioned in parish journals at the time) and they have being using the field for two one hour session a week ever since . The club pays a yearly fee to help cover maintainance costs etc. Their name was not put on the folio.
This year the new board of the GAA club looked for a 500% increase in the fee or we have to leave. We cannot afford it so it is a 'constructive eviction', they want us out. Do we have any rights and should we be intitled to compensation if we do leave. Does squatters rights come in to it.

the world wonders

wextipp wrote: »

Does squatters rights come in to it.

No, squatters rights only come into play when you occupy the land without the owner's permission -- you are currently paying them fees so you obviously have their permission.

Corkbah

which came first ... the GAA club or the Athletics club ?

Who are you paying the maintenance fees to ? if you are paying maintenance fees to the GAA when did this start ? if you are paying maintenance fees to council when did this start ?

were the GAA involved in raising money to purchase the field ? were the general public involved in raising money ? who has ownership of the field ?

the fact that the club were involved in the raising of funds is quite difficult to argue as it would give you no rights (as far as I'm aware) - unless there was some contract or binding agreement at the time that the club were raising money on condition that they would use the facilities.

EDIT: Its just a suggestion but
Its possible that the GAA club may not have any authority to charge you money if they do not own the land or are leasing the lands but there might be no harm in bringing the matter to the attention of a local newspaper, raise awareness of the issue and try to gain public support in your area - simply explain to the local reporter/newspaper that you (and other members of the athletics club) have the utmost respect for the GAA club and support them at games etc ..its possible some people are members of both, but the board of management are the ones to blame (not the players) ...let the reporter contact the board members and seek their version of events. (they might well say the club is struggling financially), if this is their claim, try to force them into working together to raise funds for the GAA club...if they say the grounds are suffering, you can blame the bad weather !! ...try to think of reasons they might want you out and have a counter argument or solution prepared.

wextipp

Corkbah wrote: »

which came first ... the GAA club or the Athletics club ?

Who are you paying the maintenance fees to ? if you are paying maintenance fees to the GAA when did this start ? if you are paying maintenance fees to council when did this start ?

were the GAA involved in raising money to purchase the field ? were the general public involved in raising money ? who has ownership of the field ?

The GAA has ownership of the fields. Fund raising was done to buy a 'community field. next to the old GAA. The two main fund raisers were GAA and athletics club and then the wider community. After the field was bought it was put in to the name of the GAA. We pay the fee to the GAA.

Yes, GAA own the field and there was a verbal gentleman's agreement that the athletics club would always have use of it. My feeling is that we do not have a leg to stand on and that they can throw us out if they want. There is no compromise with them. It is the new high fee or get out.

Corkbah

looks like you are in a tough place - have a read of my edited part of my previous post !! ...might offer some solution (maybe not short term but would allow some method to stop eviction and help athletics club stay at the GAA grounds)

StillWaters

Corkbah wrote: »

looks like you are in a tough place - have a read of my edited part of my previous post !! ...might offer some solution (maybe not short term but would allow some method to stop eviction and help athletics club stay at the GAA grounds)

Yes I think you need to fight a PR battle here. Difficult line to tread without it getting too divisive. Contact local Councillors and TDs too. TDs might have some sway as they hold the lotto purse strings.

wextipp

StillWaters wrote: »

Yes I think you need to fight a PR battle here. Difficult line to tread without it getting too divisive. Contact local Councillors and TDs too. TDs might have some sway as they hold the lotto purse strings.

I know, we don't want to be divisive. The local GAA club recently got 80k in funding from the government for their "community" development. We signed their application to say we supported this "community project". When they got approval things changed. They don't want us there and I feel we have to draw a line in the sand and move on and find a new home after 30 years. We have done all the PR stuff but as I said we don't want to create divisions. It's a kids club we are talking about here and I think at this stage it is better to let the GAA have their way and find a new field for the kids to train in.

hullaballoo

I'm sorry, but this thread is a monstrosity of legal advice and is against the forum Charter and stickies. Please read them before posing here again. I have to close this thread, though I do sympathise with the OP's situation.

hullaballoo