GAA president officially opens new Mayo GAA facilities
by Patrick Hennelly
It was a proud and historic occasion for all associated with Kiltimagh GAA Club last weekend as their fabulous new redevelopment at Gilmartin Park was officially opened.
The official opening was performed by GAA President, Jarlath Burns.
The splendid Autumnal weather was also favourable for the event and a large attendance witnessed a historic occasion for the famous east Mayo club.
This is the biggest development in Kiltimagh GAA Club’s proud history and Gilmartin Park now boasts two floodlit training areas, a second full size pitch, new LED scoreboard, a 242-seat cantilever stand, and a new full-size sand based main pitch.
For Kiltimagh GAA Club chairperson, Gerry King, marked another significant moment in the club’s 137-year history.
In his welcoming speech the chairperson gave a brief history of the club and its ground.
“Gaelic football has been played on this pitch for over 100 years, however, it wasn’t until the 1960’s that Kiltimagh GAA Club took ownership of the ground and back then they undertook a major development of the playing area.
"Indeed, there are some people here today who played their part of that very early development in the 1960’s.
"In 1976 the ground was officially opened and named the Joseph Gilmartin Memorial Park. Further development took place during the 1980’s and 1990’s with the addition of dressing rooms and the construction of a spectator stand, with a gym and second pitch also developed.”
Over the years the club has seen an increase in playing numbers across all levels and the need for further development was required, as Mr. King explained.
“The re-establishment of a ladies’ team and an increase in playing numbers was placing a strain on the pitches and training areas. The club executive decided to seek professional advice about the feasibility of maximizing our training and playing areas.
"A plan for redevelopment was put forward and approved at a club meeting in February 2020.
"Funding was granted under the sports capital programme and work began in September 2022; however, work was delayed in 2023 due to the unprecedented amount of rainfall that year. Thankfully work recommenced in 2024 and the new pitch was completed in July of last year.”
The works on other facilities were competed recently and the venue is certainly one of the best in the county.
Mr. King added: “The subsequent works were completely recently, and it is safe to say that this redevelopment represents the single largest investment ever by a voluntary organisation into its facilities in Kiltimagh.
“The GAA is at the heart of our community, and almost every family in the parish has a family member involved in some role in the club, whether it’s a player, coach or administrator.
"Although we are a small club with a limited catchment area, we have a proud history.
“Our ladies’ teams are an integral part of the club, and their playing numbers are increasing up to an including senior level.”
GAA president Jarlath Burns said it was an incredible honour to be at last Saturday’s event.
“It is an incredible honour for me to come to this club, and I am amazed at the amount of people here today, by the organisation, and the sheer impressive nature of everything that I have seen here at this recent development.
“There is political entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship. In political entrepreneurship you need finance, people and strategy and sometimes it doesn’t always work out and things overrun, and cost more than they should.
"But in social entrepreneurship you add a fourth thing – a cause. It’s the cause that makes people do things, and these people devote their lives to a club and community.
“That is why the GAA is such an integral part of Irish society and when you look around here (Kiltimagh GAA Club) you see cause.
"People here worked very hard together, they had a dream, they had a cause, and they built a pitch, a stand and these other wonderful facilities.
"That’s what the GAA does and that’s what we are about. There is a place for everybody in this club and that is one of our values, inclusion.”
Kiltimagh has a special place in the GAA president’s heart, and he reminisced about his childhood trips to Knock Shrine.
“Kiltimagh always has a special place in my heart as every year our family brought us to Knock Shrine when we were young and we always enjoyed it.
“We used to stop in Kiltimagh and maybe have a bag of chips, a flask of tea and sandwiches, and the world was such an easier place then.
“For me as an ordinary member of Silverbridge Harps GAA Club (Armagh), to have my name on that plaque in this area and to open this redevelopment, is such an honour for me personally and for my family.”