Today, it was announced that numerous sporting clubs in Cork would receive € 4,195,376 in funding.
The list for Cork can be seen HERE
Updated...The full list for the country can be seen HERE
• The allocations announced include funding for:
o Natural grass sports pitches, tracks and courts;
o Floodlighting;
o Artificial sports pitches, tracks, courts and multi-use games areas;
o Security fencing and ball stop netting;
o Hurling walls / handball alleys;
o Building or refurbishment of dressing rooms, showers and toilets;
o Building or refurbishment of sports halls and gyms;
o Non-personal sports equipment;
o Shared facilities;
o Permanently fixed outdoor gym equipment.
Amazingly, only one athletics club in Cork got a grant...Ballymore Cobh Little Athletics...€ 800
If you look at the list, some of the sports listed would certainly be a lot less popular than athletics, especially in terms of juveniles taking part.
Which raises the obvious question....Did athletic clubs in Cork apply for any grants?.........and if not, why not?
Update....
This is the complete breakdown of the grants that went to athletics in the country...
Athletic Association of Ireland Ltd €200,000.00
Clare...Shannon Athletic Club Ltd €45,000.00
Cork...Ballymore Cobh Little Athletics €800.00
Donegal...Lifford Athletic Club Ltd €50,000.00
Dublin...Mount Merrion Athletics Club €7,361.00
Dublin...Clonliffe Harriers Athletic Club €10,500.00
Kildare...Naas Athletic Club €12,499.00
Kildare...EIRE OG CORRA CHOILL ATHLETIC CLUB €8,263.00
Kildare...Clane Athletic Club €16,300.00
Kildare...Celbridge Athletic Club €9,240.00
Laois...Mountmellick Athletic Club €13,000.00
Limerick...Emerald Athletic Club €12,000.00
Louth...Drogheda and District Athletic Club €4,000.00
Meath...Tara Athletics Club €20,000.00
Meath...Dunboyne Athletic Club €90,000.00
Tipperary...Templemore Athletic Club €50,000.00
Tipperary...St Josephs CBS & Nenagh Olympic Athletic Club €55,854.00
Wexford...Kilmore Athletic Club €4,000.00
Wexford...Enniscorthy Athletic Club €25,000.00
Wexford...Adamstown Athletic Club €5,000.00
Just to add a bit of balance to this. How many athletics clubs in Cork made applications?
ReplyDeleteHow much did Ballymore, Cobh apply for that they received €800?
A lot of Athletic clubs in Cork love doing the poor mouth on the lack of support for the sport - finger pointing at the GAA, rugby and so on. They have little choice but to blame themselves
ReplyDeleteYou could say same for both galway and waterford who got nothing at all
ReplyDeletePulls up a stool..
ReplyDelete'They have little choice but to blame themselves'
Thats a bit harsh!
Yes, I thought that comment was a bit harsh too, and a bit silly. Why be so confrontational ?
ReplyDeleteMaybe I'm wrong here but I can see why GAA clubs, Soccer clubs, etc need funding. Pitches, Dressing Rooms, etc are expensive.
I'm failing to see why athletics clubs need such funding. Do you not just put in your runners and run ?
Am I missing something ?
I run quite a bit myself and my children are involved in Soccer and GAA so I don't think I'm being biased.
Regarding the UCD running track... Is that still waiting for money to be rebuilt. I wonder if they applied?
ReplyDeleteAthletics isn't just about road running. In fact it's mostly about track and cross country. It's a shame running clubs don't club together and start thinking more creatively. For example getting a proper running track and clubhouse to get young people involved? That's where the money could go. Road running is fine and fun but let's be honest it's not the future.
ReplyDeleteThe breakdown of the funding allocations seems to be mainly for infrastructural improvements such as floodlighting, building or refurbishment of dressing rooms etc., if you look at most clubs in Cork they don't generally have their own club grounds, club house so the grant may not be applicable to them.
ReplyDeleteIt's probably safe to assume that grants would be more appropriate for clubs with juvenile athletes...rather than adults running on roads.
ReplyDeleteThese are the number of juveniles by number in the top 8 counties (June 2014)...
Dublin 3647
Cork 2966
Meath 1863
Tipperary 1246
Galway 1322
Kildare 1353
Kerry 1127
Donegal 1162
Cork has the second highest number of juvenile athletes.
If there were grants going, why didn't they avail of them like some of the clubs in the other counties have done?
Maybe clubs should banging their heads together and start building clubhouses, running tracks and so on? Amalgamate and work together and get things moving.....
ReplyDeleteNot fair to blame the athletics clubs here.
ReplyDeleteThe Sports capital grants programme was biased towards clubs with their own base ( ie site of land, facility or long lease). Most Athletics Clubs do not have this and therefore were not eligible to apply for the main Capital grant award.
The clubs need to be supported strategically by the AAI to develop facilities and/or the county board needs to come up with a plan to enhance track and field training facilities around the county that will benefit all clubs.