Greenlough GAC continuing to build for the future

Situated midway between Ballymena and Maghera, close to the Derry-Antrim border, the Lough are investing heavily in their facilities as they seek to cater for a rapidly growing membership across all three codes.

The project is the latest milestone in a strategic plan approved by the club in 2023, with Greenlough having already delivered almost 80 per cent of the actions identified in the document. Perhaps most significantly, the club has embraced a One Club model, bringing Gaelic football, camogie and ladies football together under one structure, with all three codes receiving equal treatment.

St Oliver Plunkett’s GAC was founded in 1939, while St Columba’s Camogie Club was established five years later in 1944. LGFA was subsequently introduced at underage level in 2022, further expanding the club’s sporting offering and placing additional demands on its existing facilities.

The new development will significantly enhance a club complex that already boasts two playing pitches, ball wall and a pavilion with changing-room facilities.

“In 2023, the club approved its Strategic Club Plan. The purpose of the plan was to evaluate the club and how it is run, identify its strengths and weaknesses, and set out actions to develop and improve the club in all areas,” said Greenlough chairman Aidan McPeake.

“Throughout the process, we aimed to identify the areas where improvement and development were needed, and we decided to put measures in place to address them, while also recognising where the club was performing well so that those areas could serve as a template for the future.

“Since then, we have delivered almost 80 per cent of the actions from the plan. We are now running the club under a One Club model, with members from all three codes sitting on the Executive Committee.”

On the pitch, Oliver Plunkett’s have made a superb start to their season, registering a vital 1-15 to 1-13 victory over South Derry rivals St Malachy’s Castledawson in the opening round of the McFeely Group Intermediate Championship. The result gives them an excellent chance of reaching the last eight, with the Lough set to take on Drumsurn at Oliver Plunkett Park next weekend, knowing another positive result would secure their progression.

Greenlough have won the Derry Intermediate Championship on four occasions, most recently in 2020, and the club will be hoping its current generation can now push towards another sustained period of success. Off the field, meanwhile, the growth in playing numbers across all grades has created an obvious need to develop the club’s infrastructure.

The project has received support through the Olympic Legacy Fund from Sport NI, as well as Mid Ulster District Council’s Pitch and Recreational Spaces Strategy Infrastructure Development Grant. However, significant fundraising has also been required to get the project off the ground, with the club continuing to raise money to ensure the development can be completed in full.

“The small gym in the pavilion was no longer fit for purpose due to increased demand for strength and conditioning across all teams. As the number of teams has expanded following the introduction of LGFA, we have been under increasing pressure to provide suitable changing-room facilities, particularly for our female players.

“The Development Sub-committee was established to agree on the design, secure planning permission, and prepare the plans and tender documents. Our Fundraising Sub-committee was successful in drawing down grants also, and both funding streams will greatly assist in delivering the project.

“However, additional fundraising will also be needed to complete the project fully. This includes our drive-in bingo, lotto, pitch sponsorship, and club functions. We will also be running Quid Games in February 2027, so we will need strong support to reach our target.”

The project represents a significant investment in the next generation of the County Derry club and a continuation of the long-term vision that has shaped Oliver Plunketts since its earliest days.

“It is incredibly important for us to invest in the future of this club. Like the committee members before us, who had the foresight to build the club pavilion and pitches in the early 1980s, our current committee wants to leave a long-lasting legacy through the gym and changing-rooms project.

“The new facility will improve health and wellbeing, not only for our players but also for the wider community, who will have access to it.”