On Saturday last, St. Peter’s FC, along with the support from local Sinn Féin representatives, ran a very successful fundraiser Night at Rob’s Ranch House, Athlone.
St. Peter’s is a club deep in football history in Athlone and from their home ground of McCarthy Park in South Roscommon have played an integral part of sporting history in Athlone.
Former Mayor of Dublin, Cllr Mícheál Mac Donncha, and Senator Fintan Warfield met with the clubs Chairman to discuss ideas, aspirations and plans for the future of the club and its grounds. Both were both very impressed with the current setup but highlighted that with a good community effort, the vision of the club could become a reality, it would take everyone to get behind the club and push it over the line and both public representatives were happy to provide their support in the time ahead.
Athlone Sinn Féin is deeply cognisant of the issues facing St. Peter’s especially in terms of investment. As party representative Padraig Hegarty stated, “the gound is located on the border of Westmeath and Roscommon. In many ways, it falls into ‘no man’s land’ and can be forgotten all too often by many. The club has enjoyed many years of success and under the management of Padraig Moran this looks set to continue”.
St Peter’s accolades of late have been nothing short of impressive with consecutive league titles garnered in the Roscommon District Football League which has been complemented by cup successes also.
Club Chairman Barry Toland pointed out that “the club needs a complete overhaul and investment to allow it to grow into the future, new dressing rooms/meeting rooms/gravel walking track around perimeter fence of pitch, floodlights, a new state of the art pitch and a resurfacing of the car park.”
The fundraiser was created in an effort to create more awareness around the issues facing the club as well as trying to generate some much-needed funds which might allow the club to pay an ESB bill, buy vital equipment or facilitate supplies for match days.
“All of these things are a mere drop in the ocean but will go a long way to assist St. Peter’s FC. The members of Sinn Féin in Athlone are happy to play their part in giving back to local football on the west side of Athlone as the realisation is that such clubs and organisations play such a pivotal role in what some would deem to be RAPID area,” Padraig concluded.
