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Goleen & District Community Centre
The pitch at Barleycove, which has been used by generations, has been
designated an SAC (Special Area of Conservation) meaning that it couldn't be improved or upgraded to provide indoor
and outdoor facilities for sporting activities. The first Community Council searched high and low but it was the
novel notion of uniting two pieces of land belonging to two different people that lead the second Community Council
to identify a suitable site. Once found the Community pitch took off. By November 2002 full planning permission was
granted and the purchase of the land completed. The site cost 84,000 euro and the projected costs of the Pitch and
Dressing room was 154,000 euro. A total of 238,600 euro was needed of which 158,680 euro could be found in grant aid
from the Sports Capital Funds (National Lottery), Cork County Council and Clar. This left a total of 79,920 euro to
be found locally.
As an interim measure Tommy Jermyn kindly lent one of his fields in Gurtyowen to the Community. GAA games and
Soccer were played there until the pitch at Goleen Community Centre was ready for use. Many thanks to Tommy for
his community spirit and for all the hard work he and the rest of the Goleen and District Community Council Sub
committee have put into bringing this project to fruition.
PROGRESS
2003 was a momentous year for us in the Community Council and the community as a whole.
Having launched our sports field project at Barleycove at the back end of last year we set about our fundraising
efforts at the beginning of February last and what an amazing experience it turned out to be for each and every one
of us. It is still talked about throughout West Cork and beyond as one of the greatest community fundraising
efforts ever achieved. Job completed we had the excitement of the draw night in the Parish Hall.
The suspense as Paddy Sheehan drew out the winner of the 5,000 euro first prize and the naming of the subsequent winners,
who came from all over West Cork, reflecting the vast area of countryside covered in the selling of tickets. This was
a social to remember, good music and great grub, dance the night away and the biggest cash draw in West Cork for
many years. Thanks to everyone who made that night a success. When prizes are won they must be handed out so on a
lovely Sunday evening in May we got together again and sent a lot of people home smiling when we handed over 10,000
euro in prizes to the lucky winners. Another day to cherish and remember for us all.
National Lottery Grant
In tandem with the fundraising back in April 2003 we submitted a very detailed and
professional application to the Sports Capital Grants section of the department of Sport and Tourism requesting
Grant Aid funding for our project.We were confident that we would be looked on favourably as we fulfilled the three
basic requirements, which were:
1. Full ownership of the property
2. Planning permission acquired
3. Local funding in place.
Never the less we used every opportunity possible to convince people with influence that our case was a
genuine one. We met with Minister John O'Donoghue T.D. when he visited the new playschool in Goleen back in June
and impressed upon him the importance of this project to the youth of our area. We waited in great anticipation for
the announcement of the grant allocation and we were relieved and delighted when we were allocated the largest grant
in the County with a figure of 150,00 euro from the Sports Department and 30,000 euro from the Clar programme. This money
is paid out only when stages of work have been completed and invoices submitted to the Department.
Work in Progress
Having been constrained by the delay in the announcement of the Lotto Grants our
planned date for commencement of work in the field got pushed back to August 27th and this in turn left us
quite apprehensive with regard to the amount of good weather available to us this Autumn but somebody up there
is on our side because we have experienced a great set of weather over the last number of months, which has been
a huge bonus to the work carried out to date. This work entailed the removal and stacking of topsoil from
the surface of the existing fields. Step 2 required the putting in place of a network of underground drains
to dry a low-lying section of the site, which was of a peaty nature. This having been completed we proceeded to
excavate rock fill along both the north and south boundaries of the site, the latter section also forming the
foundation for the Dressing Rooms and Sports Hall Complex.
This rock-fill was necessary to raise the very low-lying section and also create extra drainage beneath
the sub-soil layer of filling. We are at present in the process of completing the 3rd stage of this particular
phase of pitch building. This is the cut and fill operation, which involves the excavation and removal of material
from the highest section of the site and spreading of it over the lower parts and hopefully finish up with a pretty
level area on which the playing area will be situated. The planning and over-seeing of the project so far has been
exciting and challenging but also a learning experience for the group of us involved. We have been extremely
fortunate to find some very experienced people who have helped us in no small way to date, giving of their time and
knowledge freely.
As previously mentioned we have a flat area on which the final playing surface is laid. This area was allowed
to settle over the Winter and Spring and we commenced the re-spreading of the topsoil April and May 2004. Further
drainage took place just beneath the surface before finally sowing the grass seed. The best advice available says
you must then allow it establish itself over a 9 to 12 month period before the first playing activities take place
so our original target date of early 2005 was still attainable.
The building part of the project namely the Dressing Rooms and Sports Hall Complex commenced with
foundations being put in place and construction on-going throughout 2004. Finally this whole project would not
have been possible without the overwhelming support we have received from right throughout our parish and beyond.
Only with that continued support can we get it completed. It is your project so do not be afraid to ask questions
about any aspect of it that interests you. To parents we say encourage your children, boys and girls, to participate
in the sporting activities of our parish because to build the complex is one thing but the ultimate reward will come
when it is in everyday use after completion.
Second Bulletin
Our aim in the Community Council from the outset of this project was to develop, in
our area, a quality playing field combined with modern dressing room facilities and multi-purpose Sports Hall and
Meeting Rooms adjacent to the village in Goleen. We were confident of the support of the Community as a whole
following a high level of demand for such facility in more than one "Needs Surveys" carried out over the years.
We in the Community Council were glad to be in the position to accept the challenge on your behalf of organising
the initial requirements of getting to start-up and to manage the construction stage going forward. We feel it is
an important part of that job to keep you, the people of our area and beyond, fully informed of the ongoing progress
by issuing information bulletins on a regular basis, this being our second such bulletin.
Review
As you will be aware from our first bulletin the project is divided into two main
parts, namely to develop the playing pitch and the construction of the adjoining Dressing Rooms and Sports hall.
Firstly to report on the pitch development; At this time last year we were at Stage 3 of the pitch building
process, stage 1 and 2 having been completed, that was topsoil removed and stacked and drainage of low lying section
of the site. Stage 3 involved what was called the "cut and fill" operation, which required the excavation and removal
of material from the higher section of the site and spread over the lower parts. By this time winter was upon us so we
decided to take a break from groundwork and allow the site to settle over those months, which also gave us time to
take stock and arrive at some decisions that would set the direction, and timescale for works right through 2004.
One of the more pressing and important questions related to the stream towards the Northern side of the site, which
in its existing position restricted the width of the playing area. We considered initially deepening and piping it
under the field but on further reflection and many debates and site visits we opted to move the stream some 10 metres
to the edge of the pitch. We were told at one stage that we had changed the size of a townland as a result of moving
the stream but assured subsequently that that was not so to our great relief. Other aspects of the project to take
up quite a bit of time were the detail and layout of the dressing rooms and sportshall. Things such as lighting,
heating, ventilation, wall and floor finishes took the group of us to many similar complexes from Skibbereen to
Youghal one Sunday in January 2004. We met some very helpful people everywhere we visited, each of them in their
own way having gone through the same process as we are now involved in.
Groundwork
Winter turned to springas it tends to do every year, the days stretched and the
weather brightened up. Wefelt the time was right, and so were ground conditions,to head back in with O' Donoghue
Plant Hire andhis very competent operators Kevin and David, and make astart at laying the subsoil over the entire
section of the playingarea. We were more than happy that the network of deep down drains, that were laid the previous
year, were doing their job very well and had dried out the lower end of the site. Having sorted out the subsoil,
stage two of the field drainage plan had to be put in place. This involved the digging, and filling with stone,
of drains right across the entire width of the site at regular intervals from one end of the field to the other.
We were then getting near to the time for replacing the topsoil, this being an important part of the entire project
as it determines the evenness of the playing area for many years to come. We achieved this by contracting the job
out to "Gallwey Plant Hire" from Leap who had carried out a number of similar jobs around the county successfully
using a wide blade dozer to great effect. Their experience proved valuable and they achieved the desired finish
we required. As any farmer or landscaper will tell you, stone picking is an unavoidable part of preparing a seed bed.
Doing a football pitch is no different and so with the help of many willing hands they made light work of moving
numerous loads of stones, big and small to the perimeter of the pitch. This being complete we were ready to begin
the sowing of grass.
Sowing
We had taken delivery of the grass seed required some weeks previous to sowing from
"Goldcrop Ltd." in Tipperary through the good service of our friend Ned Moran from Midleton. This is a special variety
of seed which is planted at a high volume because it is a very hardy, long-lasting grass that does not branch out a lot.
We had to cultivate a proper seed bed and get it planted evenly so we brought in two of the most experienced men
to stand in the field, namely Will and Dick Burchill from Carrigmanus who brought along some great gear and
in a short few hours on July 31st, cultivation and sowing had been completed. The last few stones were picked,
the ground rolled smooth and the rest was up to the Man above and sure enough that night he sent us a
lovely soft drop of rain which is a very necessary ingredient for summer grass growth.
Within three weeks we had a lovely blanket of grass which has thickened and matured since then with the help of
cutting on three occasions thus far. We are quite pleased with the way it is looking and feel confident that games
will commence there gradually from May and June 2005 onwards. No point in having a nice field of grass unless it is
properly secured and protected so we designed a fencing system in conjunction with Aidan
Gibson Fencing Contractor from Schull whom we retained to erect it after sourcing the materials from local Drinagh
Co-op stores. This saw 90% of the fencing completed other than the section along the public roadway which was in
the process of being widened. We were happy to instigate and facilitate those road improvements by donating a strip
along the eastern boundary in cooperation with other landowners nearby and Cork County Council, especially
Mr. Michael Mc Farlane Executive Engineer. There works have greatly improved the access to the complex we are
developing and good access will be an important factor in the long-term.
Building
Much as we have enjoyed the challenge and experience of the "hands on" approach we
adopted in completing the field work, the building side of the project has so far turned out to be very much a
different kettle of fish. The rate of progress in trying to get to commen-cement stage has been slow, frustrating
and time consuming to say the least. Satisfying the different arms of bureaucracy is not easy at the best of times,
but when it comes to erecting a building that will be used by the public; the word regulation starts with a
very capital "R" and takes on a whole new meaning from Planning Details to Fire Department requirements to
Health and Safety Authority. To help sort out many of these problems we needed professional intervention
and so were obliged to employ John J. O'Sullivan & Associates as Consulting Engineers to the project and
have been working with Joerg Stolle and Leon Whelton at their Skibbereen office over the last number of months
which has seen slow but solid progress to date. This has led to the first load of concrete being poured on
site in the week of Halloween by West Cork Civil Engineering who were successful in tendering for the contract
of foundations, retaining walls and construction to floor level. Contracts have also been agreed and signed
with "Duggans Steel" of Millstreet to supply and erect the steel portal frame once the concrete works have
been completed. We are at present in negotiations with Block Laying contractors and will shortly finalize
that contract as well. With those three stages of the building completed we expect 2004 will have slipped
away which will again give us a chance to take stock, check the funds remaining and see where we go from
there. We are still hopeful, baring any major hiccup, that the dressing room section of the building will
be completed in time for our first game or very shortly there after.
Lotto Funding
The entire project would not be financially possible without Government Aid
in the form of lottery funding approved through the Department of Sports and Recreation to the tune of 180,000 euro.
As previously explained this money can be drawn down in stage payments, the first tranche of which we obtained
back in August having submitted invoices for expenditure up to that time. We have received some very sound
advice from Mr. Jim Kiely of Fermoy on many aspects of the project but particularly with regard to the
lotto funding, where his experience has been invaluable to date.
Health and Safety
We are very conscious of the importance for everyone else working through the
construction stage of the project that they work in a safe, secure healthy environment. To achieve this we
have secured the services of West Cork Health and Safety of Clonakilty, whose Managing Director Frank O'Gorman,
is personally acting as Health and Safety Officer for the Design and Construction stage of the early project.
He will be on site to liaise with any workers and ensure that works are carried out to the highest standards
of Health and Safety.
Looking Ahead
Before that first game can take place we need to put some finishing
touches to the playing area which will keep us busy through the spring of 2005. Details such as the
erecting of goalposts and ball retaining netting directly behind the goal area on either end of the
pitch, marking out and lining the playing area must also be put in place, along with the construction
of dugouts on either side of the dressing rooms will also be necessary. We are confident all will be
in place and so we can usher in a new era in the history of sport in the Mizen area. Once again we
say "It is your project" so do not hesitate to question any aspect of it that interests or concerns
you and likewise we are always open to any suggestions you may have for us at any time. Please encourage,
participate and support the sporting activities of our parish now and into the future to make this project
worthwhile.
So now in July 2006 Goleen Community Centre pitch is in regular use and the building is nearly ready.
More news soon!
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