Laois sports groups to share a €5.8m windfall
Portlaoise leisure centre will get 216,278 to replace the moveable floor at the swimming pool
A €5.8m windfall has been announced for sports and leisure clubs in Laois, the largest amount the county has ever received under the sports capital and equipment programme.
A new athletics track in Portlaoise and a €216k upgrade of Portlaoise Leisure Centre’s swimming pool are among the biggest projects, while 27 GAA clubs across the county will receive funding.
A total of €5,856,341 was confirmed for Laois clubs and organisations on Wednesday 25 September under three separate funding streams – local, regional and equipment.
The biggest single grant is €487,055 for a tartan/synthetic athletics track at Portlaoise College, following an application by Laois Offaly Education and Training Board (LOETB).
Laois County Council has been awarded €216,278 to replace the moveable floor at Portlaoise Leisure Centre swimming pool, while Portlaoise AFC will get €159,081 for an Astro pitch, floodlights and fencing.
In local grants, 45 clubs and organisations will share a total of €4,889,864, with the largest slice of €200k going to St Fintan's GAA club in Mountrath for a new LED flood Lighting System.
The full list of grants is:
LOCAL GRANTS First Laois Scout Group, Portlaoise - Energy improvements and disabled toilet €39,248; Abbeyleix Park Development Committee – Renovation of Community Astro Pitch €51,448; Abbeyleix Tennis Club – Upgrade of courts 4 and 5 and purchase of equipment €40,032; Annanough CLG – Equipment, gym upgrade and dressing room refurbishment. €51,860.
Ballinakill Community Development Association CLG - Equipment upgrade at Ballinakill outdoor swimming pool €56,026; Ballinakill GAA - Grounds equipment improvement €32,422; Ballyfin GAA - Female inclusion programme €105,855; Ballylinan GAA - LED flood lighting €174,411; Borris-in-Ossory GAA – Renovation and extension of clubhouse €163,491.
Camross GAA - Renewable upgrade €156,043; Clonaslee St Manman’s GAA – Upgrade of club grounds €166,957. Clonin Sportsfield Committee – Grass pitch upgrade and redevelopment €40,729; Clough-Ballacolla GAA - Construction of new dressing room building €148,819; Courtwood GAA – Coill na Cúirte/Le Chéile 2023 €108,437.
Emo GAA – Pitch floodlights and practice ball wall €158,612; Errill Vision Group CLG – Sports equipment for community hall €26,554; Harps GAA – Sustainable development of club facilities €115,444; Hawthorn Community Development Association – Changing room, shower and toilets upgrade €63,283; The Heath GAA – Playing surface, floodlights and perimeter fencing €161,953.
Kilcotton GAA – Upgrading club facilities and sustainability €164,913; Kildare & Leighlin Diocesan Trust schools: Arles NS - MUGA and fencing, LED flood lighting and basketball court €95,123; Scoil Phádraig running track €119,869; Killeshin AFC – Club development plan €152,877.
Lions AFC – Durrow Lions AFC Pitch Development €170,259 Mountmellick United FC – Facilities Upgrade & grounds development €92,153 O’Dempsey’s GFC – Pitch Drainage, Walking Track & Fitness Studio €128,596 Park Ratheniska GAA – Upgrade Pitch Lights & Astro BallWall Surface €145,343 Portarlington Leisure Centre - Pool structural repairs and accessibility works €97,615; Portarlington GAA - Equity in Action: Sustainable Sports for All €182,717; Portarlington Lawn Tennis Club – Replacement of carpet posts and nets on four courts €46,119; Portarlington Rugby Club - LED pitch floodlighting and associated works €118,108.
Portlaoise GAA – Development of sports ball wall and nursery area €182,717; Portlaoise Rugby Club – LED floodlights €155,143; Rathdowney GAA – Walking/jogging track €33,194; Rosenallis GAA – Clubrooms with toilets, dressing rooms and gym €170,259 Scoil Eoin Phoil Naofa II – Pitch drainage and alterations, ballstops and goalposts €57,913; Slieve Bloom GAA – Ball wall, artificial grass, floodlight and fencing €154,167; Spink Community Development Association Ltd - Community pitch and walking track lighting €111,489; St Aengus FC – Artificial playing surface development €119,580; St Fintan’s GAA Mountrath – LED flood lighting system €200,000; St Joseph’s GAA – Milltown pitch development phase two €68,950.
The Heath Golf Club – Greens aerator and driving range ball stop netting €95,851; The Rock GAA - Ball wall, roof repairs and gym upgrade €78,803;
Timahoe GAA - New mower, upgrade of surface/lighting/goal €46,304; Trumera GAA – Walking/jogging €40,177.
EQUIPMENT GRANTS Arlington AFC – Capital grant €34,063; Killeshin GFC – Old pitch project €70,000 REGIONAL GRANTS LOETB Portlaoise College – Tartan/synthetic track €487,055 Laois County Council - Portlaoise pool moveable floor replacement and associated works €216,278; Portlaoise Soccer Club – Astro pitch, floodlights and fencing €159,081.
Nationwide, a total of €230m was announced for new and improved sports facilities and equipment under the latest round of funding.
