Bryansford GAC-Light up the Ford

Aim

Our aim is to replace our broken floodlights at Bryansford GAC with new, modern LED floodlights, helping to provide a safer facility.

Who are we?

Bryansford GAC is a proud and welcoming Gaelic Athletic Club based in Newcastle, County Down, with a strong history and deep roots in the local community.

For generations, our club has brought people together through Gaelic football, providing opportunities for children, young people and adults to play, develop and enjoy sport in a safe and supportive environment. Our club is powered by dedicated players, coaches, volunteers, families and supporters who give their time and energy to keep Bryansford GAC moving forward. 

St Patrick’s Park is more than just a playing field, it is a place where friendships are made, memories are created and the whole community comes together. We are committed to continuing this tradition and investing in our facilities so that future generations can enjoy the same opportunities.

Why are we crowdfunding?

We are crowdfunding to raise vital funds to replace our ageing and broken floodlights at St Patrick’s Park. Bryansford GAC installed our floodlights in 2003, becoming the first club in Ulster to have floodlighting at our grounds, a fantastic achievement for our club at the time.

After more than 20 years of use, our floodlights are now badly in need of replacement. We currently have only 11 working lights out of 32, making it increasingly difficult to train and play safely during the darker winter evenings.

Our project aligns closely with the aims of the Sport NI Olympic Legacy Fund by improving our community sports facilities and helping encourage continued participation in sport and physical activity. New LED floodlights will provide better lighting, improve safety and allow our members, from our youngest players through to our senior teams, to remain active throughout the winter months.

This is more than just replacing lights, it is an investment in the future of our club and our community. Every donation, no matter how big or small, will help us get closer to our target. If you can donate, share our campaign or encourage others to support us, you will be playing a part in keeping St Patrick’s Park a safe, active and welcoming home for generations to come.

Please help us light up St Patrick’s Park and keep Bryansford GAC shining!

How we’ll spend the money raised

The money raised through this campaign will go directly towards the replacement of our 21 broken floodlights at St Patrick’s Park. The total cost of the project is expected to be in excess of £50,000, so this is a significant investment for our club.

The funds will go towards purchasing and installing modern, energy-efficient LED floodlights, along with the necessary electrical work, equipment and installation costs. The new system will provide better and more reliable lighting across our pitch, allowing our players and members to train and play safely throughout the darker winter months.

Every donation, no matter how big or small, will bring us closer to reaching our target. We are asking our members, families, former players, supporters, local businesses and the wider community to get behind this project.

Your donation will help us light up St Patrick’s Park and secure the future of our club for generations to come.

Community impact

Bryansford GAC is much more than a sports club; we are an important part of the local community in Newcastle and the surrounding area. Our facilities bring together children, young people, adults, families, volunteers and supporters of all ages.

St Patrick’s Park is used for much more than training and matches. Throughout the year, we host fun days, discos, Scór practice, Irish language classes, football festivals, football camps, colour fun runs, BBQs, fundraising events and other community activities, providing opportunities for people to come together, socialise and enjoy being active.

Replacing our floodlights will allow us to make much greater use of the facilities, particularly during the winter months. Training will be less restricted by daylight, allowing our younger and older teams to train more consistently. This will support player development across all age groups, from our underage players through to our senior and social adult teams. It will also allow us to offer the pitch to more boys’ and girls’ teams, creating additional opportunities for children and young people to participate in sport.

The new LED floodlights will also improve the sustainability of the club by reducing energy consumption and ongoing running costs. Improved lighting around the facility will make it safer and more accessible for our older members to walk around the grounds during the darker winter months.

By investing in our floodlights, we are investing in a facility that brings people together, encourages physical activity, supports player development and provides a safe, welcoming and sustainable space for the wider community to enjoy throughout the year.

How you can play your part

There are four simple ways to help us reach our target, and make this project a reality.

1. Make a pledge. Don’t delay if you’re going to support us because momentum is key to our success!

2. Spread the word. Share our project on your social media pages and tell the world to get behind us! The more people we reach, the more support we will get.

3. Offer rewards. Get involved if you are a local business by donating things we can offer to our supporters. We will give you a shout out!

4. Fundraise for us. If you want to run your own fundraiser – maybe a sponsored activity or similar – use the 'contact project' button at the top of our page to let us know. Setting up your own page only takes a few minutes and you won’t need any bank details. Just a fun idea!

5. Gift Aid Your Donation. If you are a UK taxpayer and aged 18 or over, you can choose to Gift Aid your pledge. There is no additional cost to you. Bryansford GAC can reclaim an extra 25% of your donation from HMRC at no extra cost to you.

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 25th November 2026 at 8:14am