Mayobridge GAC - Refurbishment of Changing Rooms

Aim

Refurbishment & upgrade of our changing facilities so that they are suitable for all our 800+ users on a weekly basis and all visiting teams

Who are we?

GAA has deep roots in Mayobridge!
Long before official records began, local teams were already playing the game we love. The first recorded match took place on 28th January 1888, when St. Patrick’s Mayobridge faced Lisnamulligan at home. Just a few months later, on 30th April 1888, the club’s application to join the GAA was accepted — making St. Patrick’s Mayobridge the oldest registered GAA club in County Down.

Our Club
We’re a proud community of 840 members, with teams for everyone — from men’s and women’s to juvenile boys’ and girls’ across football, camogie, and LGFA. Supported by 40 coaches, 3 referees, and 6 county committee members, our players are at the heart of everything we do.

Progress and Pride
Our recent development plan delivered two new pitches, one with floodlights, plus stronger finances, more members, and greater county involvement. We’re honoured to hold the Club Maith Platinum Award and the Joe McDonagh Foundation Silver Award.

Our Facilities
We’ve got two full-size grass pitches, a training pitch, gym, four dressing rooms, and a welcoming social club with a large hall and members’ lounge — perfect for matches, celebrations, and community events.

Why are we crowdfunding?

At Mayobridge GAC, we are proud to be one of the most active and inclusive clubs in County Down — with over 800 members, 25+ teams, and a fast-growing number of female and youth players. Every week, hundreds of people take part in training sessions, matches, fitness, and wellbeing activities at our grounds.

But our facilities are now at breaking point. With outdated changing rooms we are struggling to meet the needs of our players, coaches, and the many community members who also rely on our club.

We are launching this crowdfunding campaign to renovate and modernise our changing rooms — an essential part of our wider club development plan. This upgrade will allow us to create safe, inclusive, and future-proof facilities for everyone who uses them.

Our facilities serve far more than our own teams. Alongside our members, local schools, youth organisations, and community groups regularly use the club for sport and wellbeing activities. From underage teams taking their first steps in Gaelic Games, to our senior men’s, ladies’, and camogie squads — Mayobridge GAC is a true community hub for sport, health, and connection in South Down.

However, our facilities are overstretched and outdated. The changing rooms are too small and no longer suitable for the growing number of female and underage teams. Our gym is basic and insecure, limiting its use for the wider community. Indoor spaces are dated and can no longer cope with demand. Even our electrical systems are inefficient and unreliable.

Without investment, we simply cannot continue to provide the modern, inclusive, and welcoming facilities our members and community deserve.

Through this Crowdfunder — and with your support — we can change that. Together, we can build a clubhouse and changing facilities fit for the future, ensuring that Mayobridge GAC continues to be a place where everyone feels proud to belong.

How This Aligns with the Olympic Legacy Fund

The Olympic Legacy Fund supports projects that increase participation, modernise facilities, and create inclusive community spaces — and that’s exactly what this project at Mayobridge GAC will achieve.

Our refurbishment will increase participation by giving more young people — especially girls — the opportunity to train and play in safe, modern facilities. It will make our club fully inclusive, with upgraded changing rooms and areas that can be used by women, older members, people with disabilities, and underrepresented groups within our community.

It will also deliver broader community benefit, as our grounds and facilities are regularly used not only by our own teams, but by local schools, youth and community groups both from and those visiting Mayobridge.

By investing in this project, we’re improving health and wellbeing — creating more opportunities for fitness, sport, and social connection, reducing isolation, and promoting positive mental health.

And it’s a sustainable investment: modern, energy-efficient facilities will reduce running costs and ensure the club continues to serve our community for generations to come.

Through this fundraising effort, we can create safe, inclusive, and future-proof facilities that will serve thousands of people in Mayobridge for years ahead. Every pledge brings us closer to unlocking 65% match-funding from Sport NI, making your support go even further. 

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How we’ll spend the money raised

This is a great opportunity to improve our facilities for all of our members and visitors. We are grateful for the funding to help to improve our changing room facilities.

 Electrical Upgrades:

• Upgrade all new light fittings to LED
• Upgrade all socket & light switches
• Upgrade all smoke alarms; check and replace all defective wiring and fuse boards

Total - £14,500.00

 Plumbing and Heating

• Replace boiler, cylinder and fittings. Replace 19 no radiators throughout the building, 2 no toilets and cisterns and all toilet seats

Total - £14,913.00

Joinery Upgrade

• Replace 1 set double entrance door, 4 no internal doors, all ironmongery, pipe casings and skirtings

Total - £11,363.00

 Painting

• Paint all walls, ceilings, doors, timbers throughout the building

Total - £9,700

• Replace all ceiling tiles and grid to ground floor 120m2 - 
• Total £4,899.90

Total - £55,376.00

Community impact

We are more than a sports club — we are a community hub at the heart of Mayobridge. Our facilities are used by thousands of people each week, reaching far beyond our own members. By upgrading and modernising our spaces, we will create benefits for the entire community — not just those who play Gaelic games.

Our own 850 members use the pitch, gym, indoor spaces, and changing rooms every week. With 25+ teams, from boys and girls through to senior men and women, our facilities are in constant demand.

But we are not the only ones who rely on them. The following highlights our wider community impact through regular use of our facilities:

• Mayobridge Primary School and other nearby schools use our pitch, indoor hall, and changing facilities weekly for PE and after-school sport.
• Local hurling and camogie clubs use our facilities several times a week for training, using the pitch, gym, and changing spaces.
• Youth organisations and community groups regularly use our indoor and outdoor spaces for sport, cultural programmes, and health and wellbeing activities.
• Community and inclusion groups deliver activities for people with disabilities, promoting participation, health, and confidence.
• Older persons’ groups and families use our clubhouse for social gatherings, volunteering, and wellness programmes.

Together, this means that thousands of people beyond our membership benefit from Mayobridge GAC’s facilities every year.

And it doesn’t stop at sport. Our clubhouse and indoor areas are home to health and wellbeing programmes, cultural events, social gatherings, and community initiatives. These activities bring people together, help tackle isolation, and create connections across all age groups and backgrounds.

By fundraising to modernise & improve our changing facilities, we are not just helping our own members — we are supporting local schools, other sports clubs, people with disabilities, older people, and families across Mayobridge and the wider South Down community.

This project will ensure that everyone in our area has a safe, welcoming, and inclusive place to be active, healthy, and connected for years to come.

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!

Funding method

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