Garden County turn sod on €6m centre of excellence site

WICKLOW GAA last night turned the sod on a 57-acre site that will become the county’s centre of excellence.

The €6 million development will take place in Rathdrum, which is a central location within Wicklow.

It is envisaged that the centre of excellence will be open for business in 2011 as a home for all inter-county teams from underage and development squads to senior in football, hurling, ladies football and camogie. The amenity will include five sand-based pitches, a clubhouse, six dressing rooms and other training facilities like plunge pools.

The contract for the development was signed last evening and with planning permission having been secured, construction is set to get underway immediately.

“After years of county teams having to go around the borrow pitches from clubs around the county who have been fantastic in their support, they will now have their own training centre,” said Wicklow PRO Jack Napier.