Belmullet Electoral Area committee members paid tribute to the extensive community effort which has gone into developing the state-of-the-art €2 million Belmullet GAA centre, which is not alone a sporting centre but also a venue where local community groups are welcome to meet.
At their area meeting which was held in the plush boardroom of the new GAA centre, John Gallagher, the chairman of Belmullet GAA, thanked those who gave grant aid and helped fundraise and in particular thanked Corrib Gas, Mayo County Council, and Raidió na Gaeltachta, and also thanked the four local councillors who “contributed a huge amount” of effort and the council workers who “did a tremendous job on site”.
Councillor Michael McNamara said that the facility highlighted the importance of the local GAA in the community as, through using the energy of local families and the parish, a centre of such high calibre had come about.
Cllr Rose Conway Walsh commended “the real community effort” in developing the centre, while chairman of the committee Cllr Gerry Coyle said that “consultation not confrontation” led to the development of this centre, which shows what can be done when a community pulls together.
Mr Gallagher said that the boardroom, which was furnished by Paddy Ruddy of Ruddy Joinery, is open to “all areas of society” and he hoped that over the next 10 years the development “becomes a centre of excellence” as “we are only at the third stage of development”.
