Applications received under the Covid impact scheme were assessed under five pieces of criteria.
44 clubs in Offaly are to benefit from a grant fund of €36,350 to alleviate some small costs they endured due to the Covid19 pandemic.
Robert McDermott, Chair of Offaly Sports Partnership says “the importance of sport for people’s physical and mental health can never be under estimated. We are pleased to be able to offer some level of small funding to clubs that are endeavouring to keep the show on the road during the most challenging period in most of our lifetimes. We are very grateful to Sport Ireland for approving this extra funding in our annual budget”
In a statement he added, “just about every sector in society has been affected by the pandemic in the past 15 months. People have lost jobs; many sectors have experienced prolonged or ongoing lockdowns, the elderly, and particularly those in care facilities, have had to endure limited contact with family and grandchildren. Government has endeavoured to respond to all of these challenges”.
“With so many major challenges such as the one mentioned, it is easy to overlook sport”, he said. “But sport is essential to every community in the country”. Councillor McDermott praised the commitment and resilience of those that make sport happen for our county for all their efforts in the past year. “They have experienced losses in their normal fund raising”, he said. “They organised virtual meetings, adopted training for members and did everything within their power to keep sport alive and vibrant. We are pleased to be able to able to make some funding available from our Sport Ireland grant towards the efforts of sports clubs in Offaly”.
This is the second scheme that Offaly Sports Partnership has administered in the past year. Last year €47,000 of return to sport grants were announced by the Sports Partnership. The extra funding announced this week will see Sports Partnership administered funding to clubs exceed €80,000.
“We all look forward to the day when full normality returns to sport”, said Councillor McDermott. He added that it is hoped that the Sports Partnership will announce a club development grant scheme later in the year when all clubs are back and fully operational again.
Applications received under the Covid impact scheme were assessed under five pieces of criteria and grants were approved by the executive committee of Offaly Sports Partnership based on overall scores. The 44 beneficiary clubs are:
- Mucklagh Schoolboys/girls Soccer Club - €1,100;
- Ballyskenagh / Killavilla GAA Club, Kilcormac Killoughey Camogie Club, Naomh Ciaran Ladies Gaelic Football Club, Ballinagar GAA, Birr GAA, Durrow GAA, Kilclonfort GAA, Killeigh Schoolboys / girls Soccer Club, Rhode Ladies Gaelic Football Club, Tullamore Rugby Club - €1,000 each
- Bracknagh GAA, Derry Rovers Football Club, St. Bridget’s Boxing Club Edenderry, Edenderry Snooker Club, St. Sinchills Camogie Club, Tullamore Camogie Club, Tullamore Hockey Club - €900 each
- Cloneygowan Celtic Football Club, Edenderry Golf Club, Kilcormac Killoughey Badminton Club, Slieve Bloom Cricket Club, Sparticus Boxing Club Tullamore, St. Joseph’s Boxing Club Edenderry, Tullamore Ladies Gaelic Football Gaelic Football Club, Tullamore Town Soccer Club - €800 each
- Clodiagh Gaels GAA Club, Clonmore / Riverside Soccer Club, Offaly Rowing Club, Portarlington Golf Club, St. Manchan’s Ladies Gaelic Football Club - €750 each
- Coolraine Soccer Club, Moneygall Soccer Club, Banagher Snooker Club, Seir Kieran GAA Club, Shamrocks GAA Club, Walsh Island GAA Club, Naomh Molaoise Ladies Gaelic Football Club - €700 each,
- Belmont GAA Club, Birr Leisure Centre, Shamrock’s Ladies Gaelic Football Club, Naomh Mhuire Athletics Club, Belmont Fishing Club, Shannonbridge GAA Club - €650 each
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