Creggs Rugby Football Club is seeking planning permission to construct an impressive new sports complex at their grounds.
The plans are for a large sports building, which comprises (on the ground floor) four new dressing rooms, two of which will be for female teams only. These will offer individual dressing areas and individual cubicle showers. Plans for the ground floor also include referee’s changing rooms and toilet facilities.
The first floor plans include a state-of-the-art gymnasium including running lanes, and also new clubrooms. In addition, the application is seeking retention of permission of the existing development on site, which includes a spectator stand and floodlighting.
Less than two years ago, Creggs Rugby Club developed Connacht’s only full-size 4G artificial rugby pitch. It is fully approved by World Rugby. It has accommodated many rugby games for Creggs and local school teams, as well as acting as a neutral venue for many Connacht finals, which would otherwise have fallen victim to the weather. It has also been a welcome training venue for many teams from other sports.
The club also developed two more full-sized sand-based all-weather grass pitches. A spokesperson said that these were needed to cope with the demand for training and games from a rapidly growing player membership (from six-year-olds to adults teams) and from more schools every year.
Creggs also provided a near 1km amenity walkway around their grounds. It has lights throughout, with a tarmac and concrete surface. That project was supported by Galway LEADER, and offers a safe walking route for people in communities for miles around, as well as parents of children, etc.
The club regards itself as very much community-based and has an excellent relationship with teams from all other sports in their region, which covers most of County Roscommon and part of East Galway.
It is expected that the Galway planning dept. will make a decision on this community sports project in October.
The Development Sub-Committee is made up of Kieran Dowd, Joe Ryan and Padraic Deane. It’s no surprise that the three are also part of the club’s larger and very hard-working Finance Committee, which will soon commence fundraising for their latest development project.
The current Club President is Aidan Farrell, the Club Secretary is Sean Brandon, and the Club Treasurer is Kieran Dowd.
