Lighting up Shamrock Park with new LED floodlights

Aim

Upgrading to sustainable LED floodlights to increase sporting access, improve community safety, and ensure long-term financial viability.

Who Are We?

We are Ballinderry Shamrocks GAC, a proud Gaelic Athletic Club with a rich history and a bright future!

Founded in 1926, we are thrilled to be approaching our Centenary in 2026 and look forward to a year of celebratory events with our entire community. Nestled on the picturesque shores of Lough Neagh, our club sits on the border of counties Derry and Tyrone and is a proud member of Derry GAA.

Our club is a home for everyone. We provide Gaelic sports for a diverse range of age groups, from 4 to 40 years old!

• Gaelic Football: We cater for male teams at all age levels, from underage fundamentals to senior competition.
• Camogie: We have a long and proud tradition of providing top-tier coaching and facilities for our female members in the sport of camogie, covering the same extensive age range.
• Ladies' Football: In the last four years, we have embraced the phenomenal explosion in ladies' football. We now proudly boast over 130 girls on teams spanning from Under-6 to Under-18 and will be welcome a senior ladies team in the near future. 

Our youth and adult teams have enjoyed tremendous success on the field, and our community off the field continues to thrive. Our membership has grown annually, reaching a record high of 750 members in 2025. We want to continue this growth, and this project is vital to help us do that.

Our Project: A Vision for the Future

Our Idea: To professionally install a state-of-the-art LED floodlighting system on our main pitch with the aim if getting support from the Olympic Legacy Fund

Our Vision: This project is about more than just lights; it's about transforming our club into a year-round community hub. We want to create an ALL-YEAR-ROUND facility that serves both our playing and non-playing members.

This installation will unlock the full potential of our grounds. While our teams train and play on a professionally lit pitch during the darker autumn and winter months, the surrounding walkway will provide a safe and accessible space for the entire community to enjoy walking and jogging, activities that are already so popular here during the spring and summer.

Ultimately, we want to increase our membership and inspire more people to get active.

Why Are We Crowdfunding?

We are crowdfunding to raise the essential funds needed to upgrade our floodlighting system to a modern, energy-efficient LED solution. This crucial upgrade will allow us to extend the use of our facilities throughout the entire year, benefiting every single member of our club and the wider local community.

How We’ll Spend the Money Raised

To ensure we get the best value for our community's money, we have carefully reviewed quotes from a number of companies. The chosen plan gives us the perfect balance of quality and cost.

Your donation will be used to cover three essential parts of the project:

• Buying the Lights: Purchasing 28 brand new, eco-friendly LED floodlights.
• The Installation: Safely removing our old lights and installing the new system.
• Safety & Warranty: All the professional testing, safety checks, and a 5-year warranty for peace of mind.

Our Main Goal: To raise £50,000

This covers the total cost to get our new lights fully installed and switched on.

Our Stretch Goal: An extra £7,000

If we pass our main target, this will let us add a smart remote control and dimming system, helping us save even more energy in the future.

Community Impact

This project extends far beyond our club gates. A fully-lit, year-round facility will have a massive positive impact on the health and wellbeing of our entire area.

Our Players: Guarantees consistent, high-quality training and match facilities during the winter, aiding player development and team success.
Our Youth: Provides more opportunities for our 400+ young members to stay active, healthy, and engaged in a positive team environment.
The Local Community: Creates a safe, well-lit space for individuals and families to walk, run, and exercise during the dark evenings, promoting both physical and mental wellbeing.
Local Groups & Schools: Opens up the potential to offer our first-class facilities to other community groups and schools for their own sports and events.

Ballinderry Shamrocks GAC sits at the heart of our parish and caters for many more people than those who play Gaelic Games. We pride ourselves on our inclusivity and cross-community participation.

We currently provide an 800m walking track, used daily by up to 100 people of all ages, the majority being women. The track is heavily dependent on pitch floodlights between the autumn and spring equinoxes. Our 3G pitch is also used regularly by neighbouring soccer teams and serves as the hub for the Magherafelt-based Acorns Running Club.

A major milestone for our community came with the opening of the Community Hub in November 2021. The Hub was designed to provide for everyone in the community—young and old, regardless of age, gender, physical or mental ability, political or religious views—and it has delivered beyond expectations. It is now in use for upwards of 60 hours per week.

A sample of weekly activities includes:

• Senior Citizens’ Monday Coffee Morning
• Friday Morning Club with guest speakers and taster sessions in hobbies and activities
• Netball nights for women
• Indoor Bowling Club
• Singing for Fun
• Line Dancing
• Slimming World
• Tranquil Tots (early years programme)
• Indoor football for men over 50
• AusumShams – a two-hour programme every Friday night providing activities for children with autism from our parish and neighbouring parishes.

The Hub also hosts community social events, fundraising events for charities, Christmas dinners for senior citizens, and plays a vital role in providing funeral meals for bereaved families.

As a club, we are extremely proud of what we voluntarily provide for our community. The addition of new pitch lighting will allow us to grow these opportunities, ensuring our facilities remain a safe, accessible, and welcoming space for all.

How You Can Play Your Part

There are four simple ways you can help us reach our target and make this vision a reality.

• Make a Pledge. Every single donation, big or small, makes a huge difference. Momentum is key to our success, so please pledge your support today!
• Spread the Word. Share our project on your social media pages (Facebook, X, Instagram, etc.) and tell your friends, family, and colleagues to get behind us. The more people we reach, the more support we will get.
• Offer a Reward. If you are a local business, get involved by donating items or services we can offer as rewards to our supporters. We will give you a huge shout-out in return!
• Fundraise for Us. Want to run your own fundraiser, like a sponsored walk or a coffee morning? Use the 'contact project' button at the top of our page to let us know. Setting up your own fundraising page is quick, easy, and a fantastic way to support the club!

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made