From the archives: Traders were asked to back MacHale Park project

PART TWO

By Tom Gillespie

'CASTLEBAR to have first class park - MacHale Park to be remodelled'. So read the headline in The Connaught Telegraph on February 18, 1950, and the campaign was started to develop MacHale Park.

The report went on:

The president of Castlebar GAA Club, Mr. Paddy Quinn, told the meeting that everybody benefited to a certain extent by a football pitch in Castlebar. The members of the club had decided to start the improvement scheme and at the first meeting they held they got the names of 140 people who were prepared to work on the carrying out of the improvements. If 140 people worked for one hour it meant 140 hours work.

"We have volunteer workers," said Mr. Quinn, "who are prepared to do the work for the love of the game, and that Castlebar would have a football park second to none in the province and that the youth of the town and coming generations would have a place to play their games.

"I am sure it would add to the zeal of the workers if they knew that the traders of the town were behind them."

Continuing, he said they could never hope to have a good match played in the town unless the park was improved, and there was no reason why that could not be done.

The club was prepared to do its share, and he was pleased to say that they never had a better and bigger membership. All that was wanted then was the goodwill and financial help of the people of the town and Castlebar would have a pitch that would be a proud possession in the years to come. By helping them to carry out the project the people of the town would be helping themselves. (Applause.)

In reply, Mr. H. Pelly, the chairman said as yet they had no idea what financial help would be required.

With the aid of a model of the pitch in its present condition, Mr. J.P. McGowan showed the variance in the levels of the pitch and the excavations and filling work that would have to be carried out. Regarding the volunteer workers, he said it was proposed to divide them into groups and give each gang a particular strip to do.

Mr. S. Garavan said they should concentrate on doing the best possible job, no matter what the cost would be.

Mr. T. Byrne agreed and said they had no business starting it at all unless they were going to do a first class job.

The chairman said it was also proposed to improve the seating accommodation, and it was the intention of the club to do the best possible job. The resources did not permit them to do that unless they got help from the people of the town.

In reply to Mr. Garavan, Mr. J.P. McCormack said there was as much work to be done on the pitch as was when it was first laid.

In his opinion a voluntary subscription list should be opened that they would be able to pay a gang of men to do the work. In order to make the pitch worthy of the town they would have to employ labour.

The chairman said they intended to use permanent labour during the day and volunteer labour in the evenings.

Mr. McCormack said the volunteer workers would not be accustomed to that type of work, and it was no use in doing it at all unless they were prepared to do a good job.

Mr. D. McEllin said, firstly, they should consider how much money would be required and, secondly, how they proposed to raise it. The people of Tuam were able to raise money for a pitch, and there was no reason why the people of Castlebar could not do likewise.

The chairman said that in Tuam the business people of the town guaranteed £50 each in the bank. They all banded together and the money was drawn accordingly as it was wanted.

Mr. McEllin dealt with how the people in Tuam banded together and guaranteed £50 each in the bank, and he said he could not see why it could not be done in Castlebar.

He would propose that they form a small committee to go into the matter, make arrangements with the bank, and ask the people to guarantee the money. They would without any difficulty get 100 people in Castlebar, and they could go on with the job in a big way and not be going around collecting pennies and two pennies. (Applause.)

Mr. Flanagan said Mr. McEllin’s suggestion was excellent. If they got 100 people in the town to guarantee the money they had an organisation in itself as those people would have a special interest in the project and they would be willing to help the club in many ways. If the youth of the town found that the traders were behind them they would get the proper spirit and goodwill.

Mr. Flanagan went on to refer to the excellent pitch in Charlestown and said if the people of Castlebar did not do something they would have no games in the town.

The following were appointed to a committee, with power to co-opt: Messrs. D. McEllin, Patrick King, H. Pelly, S. Garavan, P. Horkan, M. Heneghan, J. Jennings, T. Kelly and M. McDonnell.

In next Tuesday's print edition: The official opening of MacHale Park.