Facelift for Limerick’s Gaelic Grounds underway
Jerome O’Connell Limerick Leader Sport
Facelift for Limerick’s Gaelic Grounds underway
€200,000 to be spent on the Gaelic Grounds and Mick Neville Park upgrades
WORK has begun to “modernise” Limerick’s Gaelic Grounds.
“In terms of assets and facilities we will prioritise our focus on the Gaelic Grounds and Mick Neville Park as we advance into the future,” confirmed Limerick GAA Munster Council delegate Paul Foley.
The Patrickswell man is the new chairman of the Gaelic Grounds committee.
Limerick have monies from a previous Munster Council grant to undertake the work in the Ennis Road venue and also in the Rathkeale facility – it is understood that just over €200,000 is available.
”In prioritising Mick Neville Park and the Gaelic Grounds there will be short term, medium term and longer terms programmes of work to bring them up to the required standard,” outlined Foley to this week’s February County Board meeting.
“When people come through the turnstiles we want them to know that this is a stadium that we are proud of,” he said of the Gaelic Grounds.
A number of short term projects are underway.
”The first step was re-letting the shop units under the Mackey Stand and a very advantageous agreement has emerged for Limerick GAA – the shops will now be re-let to a Spar franchise and they will be moving in this week and will be in position for the Dublin league game but the full upgraded fit-out won’t be completed until rolled out the following week,” outlined Foley.
He continued: ”A full reconstruction and modernisation of the ladies and gents toilets on the Mackey Stand side befitting the hygiene standards expected in a modern stadium – that work has been progressed in terms of awarding the contract and will commence on the Monday after the Dublin game and completed over the following four to six weeks”.
All short term projects will be ready for the Munster SHC tie with Tipperary on May 20.
”Repainting the public areas, installation of imagery and graphics celebrating great moments in Limerick GAA with a new logo for the Gaelic Grounds itself to be designed as part of that,” he said.
“Depending on how the naming rights evolve we will then look in a strategic way at medium term and longer term improvements to those facilities,” explained Paul Foley where addressing the club delegates.