There was a large enthusiastic attendance at the St. Peter’s GAA, Warrenpoint Launch of its “Our Vision – future proofing Warrenpoint GAA for generations to come” at its clubrooms in Mary Street, Warrenpoint on Sunday 9th June at 6.30pm.
Welcoming guests to the event, Club Vice-Chairman Paul McKibben stated that the fully integrated St. Peter’s Warrenpoint one club model for GAA, Camogie and Ladies Gaelic Football has a proven track record for over 130 years, of operating at the heart of its local community for whole of family for whole of life, and has been bound up with a sense of place and belonging, binding people together and providing stability for generations of families.
The Chairman highlighted that with loan assistance from Ulster Community Investment Trust and the GAA at Croke Park, a once in a lifetime opportunity had arisen to purchase the “Pony Field’ at Moygannon located between the club’s current GAA pitch and facilities at Pairc Liam Ui Ir and the main Warrenpoint / Rostrevor Road, which could facilitate the club embarking on an exciting capital development project “Our Vision” to specifically address two connected long term limiting factors for the development of GAA activities in Warrenpoint, namely, availably of land and inadequate playing facilities.
Paul McKibben added that a new Our Vision Project Steering Group comprising of 50 volunteers had been established under the Chairmanship of Club Development Officer Feargal McCormack to oversee the implementation of an Our Vision project to future proof Warrenpoint GAA for generations to come.
Feargal McCormack, Chairman of the Our Vision Project Steering Group then outlined the three phased Our Vision Capital Development Project with an estimated net cost of £750k and a £400k commitment required before 1st August 2019, being as follows: Phase 1 would involve the funding of the acquisition of the ‘Pony Field’; Phase 2 would be the conversion of the ‘Pony Field’ into a GAA pitch with no floodlights and improved safety access to Pairc Liam Ui Ir from the Warrenpoint / Rostrevor Road and Phase 3 would incorporate the provision of modern dressing rooms and facilities within the original grounds of Pairc Liam Ui Ir.
Feargal stated that “the Our Vision capital development proposal is consistent with the club’s 5 Year Strategic Development Plan and that he was confident that the project would enhance our sense of place and provide us with pride, in who we are and the culture that shapes us”. He added: ”with the help of the Project Steering Group, we are very confident that the collective family of St. Peter’s GAA Club Warrenpoint, both at home and represented by our diaspora overseas, will respond positively to the request to fund the Our Vision capital project, as our forefathers had responded in the past”.
A high quality video produced by club member Conrad Madden, assisted by Club PRO Aisling McGivern highlighting the family involvement and broad range of community activities currently provided by the Club, was very well received by those present at the Our Vision Launch. The video included an interview with current Club President, the legendary Barney Carr, who’s grandfather John Carr proposed the creation of the first GAA Club in Warrenpoint on 25th January 1888.
