County Board to cast a wide net for finance for multi-million euro stadium
A New Year, a new Chairman, and whole new set of challenges both on and off the pitch. But Mark O’Rourke isn’t phased by the size of the task at hand. Having replaced Kieran Callaghan in the Breffni blue hotseat, the Ballyhaise clubman is positive about the county’s prospects for the future, particularly after securing planning permission just before Christmas for its state-of-the-art stadium.
Now with the potential period for appeal expired, O’Rourke indicates the newly appointed executive will be examining a number of funding avenues in the coming 12 months, including the possibility of taking those efforts international. The existing concrete terraces will be cleared to make way for a new three-storey covered stand. The development is key to a masterplan to turn the home of Cavan GAA into a landmark Polo Grounds Centre of Excellence.
A suite of state-of-the-art facilities for both fans and officials alike is in the pipeline. Along with shops and hospitality, provision has been made for medical and media areas, offices and meeting rooms, as well as a handball court and museum area.
On top of that, the wide-ranging design sets out that the revamped Kingspan Breffni will become one of the most energy efficient in Europe, by becoming the first net zero energy and carbon embodied stadium on the continent.
Planning wasn’t expected until later this week, but Christmas came early for the newly installed executive when the plans were green-lighted just before the festive season came into swing.
First up however will be board’s continued backing for the new Cavan Regional Sports Hub, a project driven in partnership with Cavan County Council and near neighbours, the Royal School in Cavan.
In November, the local authority received €19 million under the Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund and also successfully navigated the planning hurdle after An Bord Pleanála gave the plan its blessing for a 10-year permission that includes building a two-storey indoor sports building linked to a 6,000sq m sports arena containing an eight-court sports hall with retractable bleachers and other internal facilities.
Work on the centre could begin between Spring 2025 and the third quarter of 2026.
The GAA has been promised two sand mattress GAA fields as part of the initial building phase, and two more in follow-up works tentatively marked to start from late 2027 to late 2029.
The investment, O’Rourke and many like him hope can play an integral part in sustaining success in sport for generations to come.
“The development [regional sports hub], as part of that, we’ll get four pitches so that is our priority. Before Christmas we had planning permission granted for the extension to the stadium, and that will be phase two in our development so to speak.”
Mr O’Rourke is conscious of the support given to all aspects of the project to date - both regional hub and their own - at home and from abroad.
“I’d like to acknowledge all involved in [getting the regional sports hub plan shovel ready], including our elected representatives for their help and support. It will depend on further funding then when we will start our project, phase two, which we see as the Stadium development.”
Breffni Bash
In 2024 Cavan GAA and Kingspan Breffni hosted some of the biggest names in Irish Country Music across three days in June. Thousands attended concerts featuring Nathan Carter, the High Stool Prophets, and The Tumbling Paddies but to name but a few, and the prospect of doing it again or something different entirely, Mr O’Rourke says, will be a decision for a soon-to-be-installed Finance Committee.
“We will be putting a Finance Committee together, part of their role will be to look at fundraising and fundraising ideas. From our County Convention, we will be fundraising for development going forward and that will be in conjunction with ladies football and camogie as well. I’d like to acknowledge their contribution to the Memorandum of Agreement signed last year, another milestone for Cavan GAA. We were one of the first in the country to do that. I’d like to acknowledge their input as well.”
Mr O’Rourke concludes by recognising the support for Cavan GAA from abroad. Some of the most ardent supports live thousands of miles away, yet they remain unwavering in their dedication to the county and its team. “The support here-to-fore, our friends in the US and the UK, we will be exploring further options again when we do look at those fundraising ideas. Part of those plans will include the US and the UK and maybe even further afield as well.”