ANOTHER STEP CLOSER
Kilbride votes in favour of merging with Lacken
THE amalgamation of the Kilbride and Lacken GAA clubs moved a major step closer last week when Kilbride club members voted overwhelmingly in favour of the move.
It is believed the move received 100 per cent backing from the members who attended the meeting in Kilbride and while there was also a meeting in Lacken the following evening and another vote was held with massive support for the plan arising, sources in the Lacken club have said that there are issues concerning membership and that clarification is needed in relation to that and other issues before any agreement on amalgamation can be reached.
Liam Creighton, secretary of the Kilbride GAA Club, said that the members of his club are “happy” with the decision reached at the Kilbride meeting and that a combination of effects have left both clubs struggling for numbers for the last number of years.
“For the last 10 years you have both clubs struggling to field teams,” said Liam Creighton. “We have no building going on at all in the village, family sizes are smaller, we don’t have the large families living around the area, smaller family sizes, people living in towns. I see people of my generation moving to Tallaght and Blessington. Modern life has changed everything, absolutely everything,” he added.
Liam agrees that this approaching move between Kilbride and Lacken could be something of the thin edge of the wedge and that the current situation with the Minor championship consisting of a small amount of clubs could become a reality at adult level before too long.
“If you look at the Minor championship and see how many teams are in it, maybe six, eight, or 10 teams at the moment in the entire county. That’s the way it could be in the Senior championship in the future.
“We are grouped with St Kevin’s at juvenile. That’s four small clubs making up one team. There’s no houses being built in Hollywood or Valleymount either. It’s unfortunate. It’s a totally different society now.
“This idea is to give an opportunity to the lads who are left here to play football. They want to keep playing,” he said.
Gerry O’Neill, Chairman of Lacken GAA Club, said that: “There are ongoing negotiations between the Lacken and Kilbride GAA clubs, Wicklow County Board, Leinster Council and Croke Park and hopefully there will be a resolution so that both clubs can merge”.
GAA Chairman Martin Fitzgerald declined to comment but stated that the County Board would continue to offer all support possible to both clubs.
However, swift action will be needed if the merger is to become a reality due to a January 15 deadline being in place.