St Saviours club is reborn from ashes following devastating fire

“Soul-destroying” had been a key phrase used to describe a weekend, earlier this year, when arson attacks caused destruction to sporting and social amenities in Waterford city.

St Saviours GAA clubhouse along with separate amenities belonging to a boxing, soccer and youth clubs were significantly fire-damaged in the community of Ballybeg.

Less than nine months later, the community stands triumphant as the GAA club last night celebrated the official opening of its newly-refurbished complex.

Recalling the fateful night of January 24 last when arsonists caused tens of thousands euro of damage to the four community buildings, the chairman of the GAA club, Mark Corcoran, said the aftermath of the attacks had been “devastating”.

“The phonecall I got early that January morning saying our clubhouse building was on fire was a phonecall I wouldn’t wish on anyone.

“It didn’t hit me or the rest of the committee, members or the players until a few days after the arson attack, when we realised the scale of what was ahead of us. To say it was daunting was an understatement.”

The GAA clubhouse had been completely gutted. It is the first of the four buildings to be restored.

Mr Corcoran said, at the time, the club was down but not out and taking a united front was vital.

“The significant thing that arose from all the attacks on the community was the solidarity shown by the Ballybeg community itself,” he said last night.

“We just knuckled down, and the mammoth task at hand got less daunting by the support and solidarity we received from the local communities,” he said

As the smoke settled, events moved quickly and meetings were held in the community with businesses, organisations and communities rallying around the parish in its hour of need.

The hard work of all at the club and people within the wider Ballybeg community, including those who set up a brick-by-brick campaign to raise money, has now come to fruition as the club officially opened its refurbished facilities.

It invited all those who had generously donated and all who had aided the club’s recovery.

Mr Corcoran said: “We just want to say thank you to all the people who helped us get back on our feet and we also want to show people exactly what we achieved.”