Rural GAA clubs struggling in these testing times
SPORTING organisations across Kerry are currently in a self medicated induced deep sleep which is set to have far reaching consequences when the alarm clock finally goes off.
Rural GAA clubs in Kerry are being particularly hard hit with the Coronavirus lockdown impacting on activates on and off the playing field.
Sport is the lifeblood of Kerry life from a cultural and social aspect. The absence of sports fixtures has left a huge void in the lives of many people but particularly in rural Kerry where the GAA is still the predominant social and sporting outlet.
With hopes of a return to the Kerry GAA fixture list now deferred indefinitely, clubs across Kerry are counting the financial loss associated with the Coronavirus.
One club affected by the current pandemic is Currow GAA club, located on the borders of Sliabh Luachra.
Currow, like so many other small clubs in Kerry, are continually fighting to stay afloat and provide the best possible sporting outlet to its players and supporters.
Currently the club has teams competing at senior, junior, minor under 16, under 14, under 12, under 10, under 8 and under 6 level. The Ladies club has a similar number of teams. Overall the club has 19 teams all operating from one pitch.
“While our priority at this time is the health and welfare of all our players, their families and our supporters during the Coronavirus, we are acutely aware that sport is not on top of the priority list at present. We are also aware of the problems and challenges that we will face once this lock down is finally lifted. Finance will be top of the list of challenges we face,” said Currow GAA chairman, Tom O’Callaghan.
The main sources of finance for Currow GAA club, similar to most Kerry rural clubs, is their Club Lotto, Club Membership, Church Gate collections and match day gate receipts.
“Currently we have no Lotto due to the lock down. Traditionally our Club Membership was taken up during our opening County League games played in Currow. With no games played we basically have no membership at the present. Our players have signed their membership forms but the public membership is at a standstill depriving us of valued
and extremely important income.”
Ambitious plans by the Currow Club are also put on ice at the moment. Thanks to a Sports Capital Grant, the club were in the process of constructing equipment shed, pitch perimeter fencing, upgrading the digital scoreboard and the provision of a walking track around their field located close to Kerry Airport.
“All this much needed development is now on hold and while the Sports Capital Grant was a major boost towards the cost of completing the works, the club would still need to invest capital to complete the work and with no income revenue at the moment this will be difficult. We still need finance for the day to day running of the club.”
According to Tom O’Callaghan the current maintenance of the pitch and dressing rooms must be maintained in anticipation of the playing season opening at some future date.
“It still costs money to cut the grass, maintain the dressing rooms and ensure the facilities are kept in a safe manner. The cost of running a club is phenomenal. Clubs need a good cash flow and something as simple as a match football costs in the region of €50. A club like Currow needs to host one major event each year to ensure this cash flow. Last year we hosted a Mayor of the Parish fundraising event aimed at raising funds for the continuing development of Currow GAA club. The Mayor concept created great interest and excitement in the Parish. Votes were just €5 each and all money raised from the campaign went towards the purchase of a new mower, general pitch maintenance, club equipment and the day to day running of this very busy rural club.”
Currently the Currow club are unlikely to host an event that could realistically raise €5,000 this year.
“The other problem that will face small rural clubs, like Currow, with just a single pitch, is a demand for training time and competitive action once the playing season commences. It will be very difficult to cater and accommodate all our 19 teams and with a fixture backlog we will be faced with another logistical problem that we will eventually solve. However in the meantime once everyone is safe and well, staying isolated and doing some training on their own, we will all be back in the fullness of time, playing the game we all love with a passion.”