“We’ve been busy with Garvaghey for well over a year now” County PRO Damian Harvey explained. “We bought the 43 acre site in 2008, got our Planning Approvals in place and have spent the last four months on a major site-levelling contract.”

“We want to keep that momentum going and hope to shortly award a contract for the pitches and the floodlights. Our plan is to have the entire complex finished in 2013.”

The Garvaghey Centre will provide for the full family of gaelic games and is deliberately scoped and planned for GAA players, teams and activists at all levels. Clubs; schools; County panels; administrators; volunteers; people interested in culture and heritage; men and women; boys and girls will all intermingle at Garvaghey.

Club Tyrone has taken on the task of driving forward the fund-raising for the project.

“At £6.7m it’s the biggest single GAA project ever undertaken in Ulster, let alone Tyrone” said Hugh Mc Aleer, Chairman of Club Tyrone.

“Raising that kind of money isn’t easy but in Tyrone we’re blessed with GAA people who believe in what we’re doing and who don’t shirk challenges. Our funding strategy, which we launched last week, includes a Garvaghey Patrons scheme where people contribute £5,000 to the project. Less than a week after that launch we have over 40 Garvaghey Patrons on board. Commitment and momentum like that are just very heartening.”

To use a Mickey Harte phrase, Tyrone’s Centre is going to be the very best it can be.

“We’ve set the bar high at Garvaghey” Hugh Mc Aleer continued. “And we’re talking to every part and every level of the GAA here and further afield to make sure we get it right. This will be a big part of our GAA legacy to those who come after us. People are inspired by that. They want us to leave a legacy that’s worthy of the name. And with the support we’re getting, even in the middle of a recession, Tyrone GAA is going to deliver here.”

Thursday 8 October 2009

7.30pm

Kelly’s Inn, Garvaghey 

On the night there’ll be refreshments and a bite to eat with our compliments and we’ll explain our ideas on the fund-raising strategy. Micheál O’Muircheartaigh will be our MC and we will also have a number of key Tyrone GAA people there. 

It’s an important night for the GAA in Tyrone. The Garvaghey Project is all about legacy, about continuing the Tyrone GAA journey. The next steps on the journey start on Thursday night.

Let’s see you there!

Thursday 18th June
7.00pm – 10.00pm
Donaghmore GAA Centre
(A brief guided tour of this stunning new complex will be included)

View the Tyrone GAA Training Concept on Youtube – Click Here

We’d like two/three people from your Club to attend. Ideally your people should include your Club Chair/Secretary/Treasurer/County Committee delegate and someone with a background or knowledge that we could apply to the planning of Garvaghey: we need people who know about engineering; pitches; M&E; culture; women’s gaelic games; construction; sports science; architecture; leisure management; financial management; design/decor; fund-raising; grounds maintenance; contracting; building management; schools; coaching; heritage; etc. It’s your Club’s chance to shape a huge GAA legacy that we’ll leave to those who come after us: it’s our chance to make best use of the knowledge that sits within the Tyrone GAA family.

It’s a classic Win/Win … but only if your Club is represented!

Bí linn is cuidigh linn: come and join us … do your bit!