Target reached!
Reduce the level of debt in the acquisition of the grounds.
Ár dTodhchaí, Ár mBaile - Our Future, Our Home
Lisburn, Lisburn and Castlereagh, United Kingdom
Aim
To support the purchase of the Kirkwoods Park playing facilities and to secure a home for Gaelic games in Lisburn.
About us
St Patrick’s, Lisburn GAC is a voluntary, community sports organisation affiliated to both the Gaelic Athletic Association and the Ladies Gaelic Football Association. Founded in 1965 the Club is based at the Kirkwoods playing facilities in Lisburn, County Antrim.
The Club provides sporting opportunities in both football and hurling for ages from Fundamentals/U6 to Senior/Adult and for both males and females. Membership of the club has been growing rapidly having doubled in the last 5 years months ( 500: November 2023).
Community impact
Our Club is open to all and provides a wide range of competitive and recreational sporting opportunities. There is a burgeoning Gaelic for Mothers and Others section and social hurling with the St Patrick's "Teeling" hurlers.. The Club provides a wide range of other community-focused activities through an active Health & Wellbeing committee.
The Club provides sporting opportunities for over 350 children from U6 to U18,
Our time at Kirkwoods
St Patrick's played its first match at the Kirkwoods pitches in 1995. This followed many turbulent years without a home and significant volunteer efforts and fundraising towards developing a pitch at Causeway End Road. The Club's efforts to develop the former site were beset with difficulties; including vandalism and attacks on Club members.
Since moving to the Kirkwood's Road site the Club has grown rapidly. We have been well supported by both our local Council and indeed the site owner's the Ministry of Defence, securing a 10 year management arrangement in 2015. We have also invested significantly ourselves in pitch drainage, boundary fencing and changing rooms.
It is fair to say that we already consider Kirkwoods our home. Now that the MoD have indicated their intention to dispose of the site, the Club has a unique opportunity to secure our future and develop Kirkwoods.
How we’ll spend the money raised
The Club has a unique opportunity to acquire the Kirkwoods pitches. We believe that owning the site outright provides us with the greatest opportunities for future grant funding for further development. Many of these opportunities would not be available to us as a Council leased facility. The Club has put in a place a significant amount of financing already and is looking to raise an additional £20,000 in support of the purchase.
How you can play your part
1. Donate !
There are over 200 families involved in our Club and to reach our goal we will need as wide a support as possible. We are conscious these are financially challenging times and everyone should contribute at a level they are comfortable.
We have a range of rewards for larger pledges which may suit some supporters. Most pledges/donation will be eligible as Gift Aid donations which means your contribution will be worth 25% more to the Club.
2. Spread the word. Share our project on your social media pages and with your family and networks. Reach out to potential supporters from across the world who would like to see a permanent home for Gaelic games in Lisburn.
We will close this campaign on the 30th November at which time we are hopeful to begin the process of securing our grounds.
This is a once in a generation opportunity.
It has fallen to our supporters at this time, in 2023, to secure the future playing home of our Club.
Together, let's #BuildKirkwoods.
This project successfully funded on 1st December 2023