1998 Meitheal Awards
Remarkable Ballyglass resilience honoured fittingly
Ballyglass F.C. are not an ordinary football club in the true since of the word.
They have become a focal point in the development of a South Mayo community, providing the necessary drive, leadership and spirit.
Their remarkable resilience and progressive-thinking was honoured in fitting fashion in the Burlington Hotel on Friday when they were presented with the prestigious ‘Meitheal of the Year Award’ by the Mayo Association in Dublin.
They became the first sports club in the county ever to be feted in this way, a tremendous distinction for the game of association football in Mayo.
Mr. Padraig Heverin, the affable club chairman, did not have the time to dwell on their achievements when he stood to address the attendance of 890 in his own inimitable style.
But their story is one that deserves to be recalled.
When the club was set up by farmers Michael Keaveney and Tommy Joe Walsh back in 1975, they played in a field which flooded extensively every winter.
Nobody believed they would last that long and their early performances in the Mayo League did not exactly inspire confidence.
But they learned quickly and before the end of their first season, Ballyglass had secured promotion from Division Three of the league with 29 points from sixteen matches.
Now the villagers were hooked on a game which was to exercise a pivotal role in the development of the community over the coming years.
The key turning point did not come until thirteen years after the club’s formation, however. In 1989, Ballyglass purchased ten acres of land for a figure in excess of £30,000 and set about a major development programme.
Explained Mr. Heverin: “We harnessed the help and support of the entire community through an intensive fund-raising campaign which raised £250,000. It is necessary to point out that during the funding campaign, not alone had the club members worked extremely hard in providing a top class sporting facility incorporating two pitches and a state-of-the art clubhouse, they had also given freely of their time to organise and promote many fundraising activities for charitable and voluntary organisations.”
Mr. Heverin said the entire development, which is shortly to become the subject of a RTE documentary, was planned with the intention of serving the needs of many voluntary bodies with the widen community.
IN THE PIPELINE
It will provide a home for the Black Pudding Club, a well known local arts and culture group, the Ballyglass Women’s club, and Ballyglass Foroige club.
Mr. Heverin said the club was proud to have as one of their guests, Mr. Pat Quigley, president, Football Association of Ireland.
This magnificent Ballyglass development was completed in October, 1996, despite the fact that only £20,000 was received by way of grant aid and it was achieved without resorting to borrowing money from a financial institute.
The project, which was opened by President Mary Robinson is fully paid for with no debt whatsoever.
The next Ballyglass project in the pipeline is the erection of a spectator stand to compliment the existing complex which also incorporates an extensive car park.
Meanwhile, on of the field of play, Ballyglass have emerged from their humble beginnings to establish themselves as the leading club in Mayo.
They have captured the biggest prize in the game, the Mayo League Premier Division title for the past two seasons, and have reached the sixth round of the F.A.I. Junior Cup for the first time in their history.
The Ballyglass success story continues unabated.
Ballyglass F.C. are not an ordinary football club in the true since of the word.
They have become a focal point in the development of a South Mayo community, providing the necessary drive, leadership and spirit.
Their remarkable resilience and progressive-thinking was honoured in fitting fashion in the Burlington Hotel on Friday when they were presented with the prestigious ‘Meitheal of the Year Award’ by the Mayo Association in Dublin.
They became the first sports club in the county ever to be feted in this way, a tremendous distinction for the game of association football in Mayo.
Mr. Padraig Heverin, the affable club chairman, did not have the time to dwell on their achievements when he stood to address the attendance of 890 in his own inimitable style.
But their story is one that deserves to be recalled.
When the club was set up by farmers Michael Keaveney and Tommy Joe Walsh back in 1975, they played in a field which flooded extensively every winter.
Nobody believed they would last that long and their early performances in the Mayo League did not exactly inspire confidence.
But they learned quickly and before the end of their first season, Ballyglass had secured promotion from Division Three of the league with 29 points from sixteen matches.
Now the villagers were hooked on a game which was to exercise a pivotal role in the development of the community over the coming years.
The key turning point did not come until thirteen years after the club’s formation, however. In 1989, Ballyglass purchased ten acres of land for a figure in excess of £30,000 and set about a major development programme.
Explained Mr. Heverin: “We harnessed the help and support of the entire community through an intensive fund-raising campaign which raised £250,000. It is necessary to point out that during the funding campaign, not alone had the club members worked extremely hard in providing a top class sporting facility incorporating two pitches and a state-of-the art clubhouse, they had also given freely of their time to organise and promote many fundraising activities for charitable and voluntary organisations.”
Mr. Heverin said the entire development, which is shortly to become the subject of a RTE documentary, was planned with the intention of serving the needs of many voluntary bodies with the widen community.
IN THE PIPELINE
It will provide a home for the Black Pudding Club, a well known local arts and culture group, the Ballyglass Women’s club, and Ballyglass Foroige club.
Mr. Heverin said the club was proud to have as one of their guests, Mr. Pat Quigley, president, Football Association of Ireland.
This magnificent Ballyglass development was completed in October, 1996, despite the fact that only £20,000 was received by way of grant aid and it was achieved without resorting to borrowing money from a financial institute.
The project, which was opened by President Mary Robinson is fully paid for with no debt whatsoever.
The next Ballyglass project in the pipeline is the erection of a spectator stand to compliment the existing complex which also incorporates an extensive car park.
Meanwhile, on of the field of play, Ballyglass have emerged from their humble beginnings to establish themselves as the leading club in Mayo.
They have captured the biggest prize in the game, the Mayo League Premier Division title for the past two seasons, and have reached the sixth round of the F.A.I. Junior Cup for the first time in their history.
The Ballyglass success story continues unabated.
