GALWAY CAMOGIE STAR Carrie Dolan says that the proposal to build a Centre of Excellence for the county’s men’s and women’s inter-county teams “would be brilliant if we can pull it off.”

The chairpersons of Galway’s GAA, LGFA and camogie board wrote a letter last week to local TDs and the Galway City and County Council, requesting 30-40 acres at the Galway airport site [closed since 2013] for a Centre of Excellence. The letter provides a detailed outline for why such a facility is required, with a particular emphasis on the Ladies Football and camogie teams who operate off a limited access to vital resources and equipment.

Galway’s vision for this Centre of Excellence consists of two full size floodlit 4G GAA pitches, training centre to encompass dressing rooms, gym facilities, video analysis rooms, catering for teams etc. The Centre would also include three or four full size GAA pitches with lights.

Dolan, a two-time All-Ireland winner, says Galway camogie have a settled training base in the Clarinbridge club, but that hasn’t always been the case. Having a settled base at a Centre of Excellence would help solve that issue.

“We’re very lucky at the moment in Clarinbridge but it’s a juvenile field and the floodlights are why we’re there. They’ve been very good to us. But we have no home at the minute; a place that we know we’re going to be training.

“Last year, we were only finding out the night before or on some bad evenings, we’d only find out at five o’clock where training at 6.30pm is at. You take what you’re given really. We’re happy to get pitches but lights are a big thing for us this time of year. 

“Something like this would benefit us massively.”

Galway teams have been competitive across all four codes, particularly in the last decade as the camogie team have reached four All-Ireland finals, winning twice under Cathal Murray. The Galway men’s football team contested the 2022 All-Ireland final, the hurlers were triumphant in 2017 and the Ladies Footballers featured in the Brendan Martin decider in 2019.

Dolan says that realising the plans for a Centre of Excellence would be the “extra percent” required to cement their place among the top teams in each competition, and deliver more silverware. Having all county teams pursue the project together also strengthens the march towards overall integration within the GAA.

Of the other facilities included in the proposal, Dolan also points to the importance of having greater access to gym facilities and a video analysis room. 

“When we’re going training and we have to have a meeting, we’re looking for a venue that has a telly. A couple of years ago, you were bringing your own telly. Cathal [Murray] was bringing his own telly to Athenry for us. 

“So, to have that facility and know that you’re going there and there’s a telly to put your powerpoint up.

“We’re all vying for it together under the one circle. We’re hopeful. You need the top of everything to be going anywhere.”

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