Study values economic impact of sport in Mayo county town at €30m.

A study of the economic, social and environmental value of sports has been published.

The impressive 48-page document, sponsored by Castlebar Chamber of Commerce, was launched by the Minister of State at the Department of Sport, Thomas Byrne, at Mayo ATU.

Undertaken by PMG Consult and Grant Thornton, the analysis involved an input from all sporting clubs and organisations in the town and its environs within a 10-kilometre radius, covering a population of approximately of 18,000 people within the study catchment area.

Among its key indicators were the fact that €3 million is spent annually by the 22 sports club in the area, estimated to have a sports tourism value of €7.5 million on a yearly basis.

There are over 60 people employed directly in sports jobs while over 300 in sports related enterprise.

Over 75,000 volunteers hours are given to sport every year and 37% of the population (6,500) hold active club memberships.

This all contributions to sport having an overall economic impact of €30 million annually in the community at large.

Other key findings of the study are:

* Sports tourism is vibrant in Castlebar with up to 120,000 visitors to events per annum in the town. However, there are clear capacity issues in accommodating large numbers of visitors around key events.

* Castlebar demonstrates some examples of best practice as a sports, leisure destination and provision in zones such as Lough Lannagh and McHale Road. This is a model for further planning and development of sports.

* There is scope for improvement in club governance and management in the areas of information provision, financial management and fundraising, and community engagement.

This is an area where training and support for volunteers and knowledge-sharing across the sports network can bring big benefits for future development and implementing good practice.

The authors of the report have put forward a number of recommendations.

1. Establish a Local Sport and Leisure Network to plan for future integrated sports strategy, including multi-sports facilities, shared resources and sports promotion.

2. Ensure that any future major field sports facilities can have some portion which will accommodate all-weather playing of games and indoor tournaments.

3. Address the underdevelopment in certain sports through facilities investment and promotion, most specifically athletics and basketball.

4. Consolidate and maintain existing facilities and assets to a modern day standard.

5. Identify and procure publicly-owned lands for future multi-sports facilities based on the successful Lough Lannagh clustering/zoning model.

6. Ensure other publicly owned facilities, such as playing fields and sports hall within schools, are available for use outside of school hour.

7. In the short term address shortages and weaknesses in provision at the key sports facilities, including St. Mary's track and field, MacHale Park/Castlebar Mitchels, and expansion at Celtic Park.

8. Invest in the development of skills and capabilities of all sports players so that we remain 'sports competitive' at a national/international level.

9. Support clubs and sports bodies to adopt best practice and policy in Access for All, Diversity and Inclusion, Climate Action Sustainability measures and integration between sports facilities.

10. Continue to attract and run events, gala and tournaments which bring competitors and visitors to the town, thereby adding to the economy of the region.

11. Proactively support gender balance in sport through participation, membership and progression of female players. And, in particular, to support the process of integration already underway at national level across the GAA, LGFA and Camogie Association.

Anne Conlon, president, Castlebar Chamber of Commerce, has thanked everybody involved in compiling a report which is the template for the future development of sport in the county town and its hinterland.

She paid tribute to the Mayo Local Action Group, which funded the report through Leader, Mayo Sports Partnership, Padraig McGuinness of PMG Consult, Lindsay Bell of Grant Thornton, all the club members and others who participated in the study, the management and editorial board for the study, Maria Staunton, manager of ATU-iHUB Mayo, Vivienne Kyne, director of SportLomo, and John Caulfield, director, business consultancy, and her predecessor as president of the chamber, Bernard Hughes.

John Caulfield said credit must go to Liam Moffatt, former chairman of Mayo GAA County Board, who proposed such a study be undertaken, and current chairman, Seamus Tuohy, who continued to endorse the study.

Mr. Caulfield said the next step would be putting together an action plan to bring the recommendations to fruition - a move that would require direction and leadership from an organisation like Mayo County Council.

"The door is open - but a great deal of work is required to implement the plan," he added.

Councillor Al McDonnell, cathaoirleach, Castlebar Municipal District, said the council is involved in negotiations to acquire 30 acres of land from the HSE that would facilitate the expansion of sporting amenities in the town and provide new and extra facilities to sports club needing them most.

"We have the plans and the ambition. All we need now is the funding," he stated, addressing his comments directly to Minister Byrne.

The minister said he was very impressed by the plan, its findings and recommendations.

"Multi-sport facilities are a passion of mine and all major projects must, going forward, incentivise the coming together of many sports.

"I could not believe what I saw at the Lough Lannagh Sports Complex. It ticks all the boxes," he added.

* Pictured at the launch of the report were, from left, Councillor Martin McLoughlin, Deputy Alan Dillon, Senator Lisa Chambers, Minister of State Thomas Byrne, Maria Staunton, John Caulfield and Anne Conlon.