County Derry club kicks off vital refurbishment with MacBlair support

PICTURED ABOVE: Portstewart FC are the latest club to be awarded building materials through MacBlair and the Irish Football Association’s £120,000 Building Support Fund. The club will use the materials to renovate bathroom facilities at Mullaghacall. (L-R) Patrick Carroll, Strategic Development & Risk Director MacBlair, Stephen Garrett, Senior Commercial Manager, IFA, Alan Dempsey, Executive Chairman, Portstewart FC, Andy McCarron, Branch Manager, MacBlair Coleraine.

MacBlair, in partnership with the Irish Football Association, has announced Portstewart FC as the latest club to be supported through the MacBlair Building Support Fund.  

The North Coast club applied for funding to support an overhaul of the existing bathroom facilities at Mullaghacall, which have remained largely untouched since the ground first opened in 1997. The overhaul will include the installation of new plumbing and drainage systems, upgrading tiling and wall finishes and improving lighting and ventilation.  

MacBlair, one of Northern Ireland’s leading builders’ merchants, will supply building materials from the club’s local MacBlair branch in Coleraine. 

Portstewart FC’s Alan Dempsey, Executive Chairman, was presented with a commemorative plaque by Andy McCarron, branch manager of MacBlair Coleraine, and Stephen Garrett, Senior Commercial Manager at the Irish Football Association, at the Mullaghacall ground. 

Patrick Carroll, MacBlair Strategic Development & Risk Director, said: “I am delighted to confirm Portstewart FC as a recipient of support from the MacBlair Building Support Fund. The club submitted a very thorough and impressive application, in which it was clear that Mullaghacall plays a pivotal role beyond football as a multi-purpose community hub, and these improvements are aimed at bettering the experience of everyone who visits the ground.  

“We encourage other clubs across Northern Ireland to follow Portstewart FC’s lead and apply for support through the MacBlair Building Support Fund.” 

Alan Dempsey, from Portstewart FC said; “It’s fantastic to receive this assistance from the MacBlair Building Support Fund.

"Since opening in 1997, Mullaghacall has remained largely unchanged, and we want to modernise our bathroom facilities and enhance the experience of supporters and the wider community. The building materials provided by MacBlair will help us do exactly that.” 

Stephen Garrett, Senior Commercial Manager at the Irish Football Association, said; “Congratulations to Portstewart FC for receiving support through the fund. The Irish FA is delighted to partner with MacBlair who have an evident passion for supporting grassroots football around the country.” 

“We strongly encourage other clubs to send in their applications to be in with a chance of being the next to benefit from this brilliant initiative.” 

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Club members across Northern Ireland can visit the MacBlair or Irish Football Association websites to apply for building materials from the £120,000 fund. Applications close on the last day of each quarter.  

MacBlair has also set up the Club Support Fund in partnership with the Irish Football Association. Through this initiative clubs can apply on the Irish FA website for an essential training equipment pack worth £1,000, including FIFA standard training balls, match balls, bibs, cones and kit bags.  

The latest three recipients of these packs are: Ridgeway Rovers, County Antrim; Ballymoney United Football, Social & Recreation Club, County Antrim; and Strabane Athletic Football Club, County Tyrone.