Clara eyeing end to property nightmare

OFFICIALS of Clara GAA in Co Offaly – the Taoiseach’s home club – are keeping their fingers crossed that the sale of some of their land will go through and alleviate bank interest charges of €7,000 a month which are currently crippling the club.

The club, who next Sunday will bid to win their sixth Offaly senior football title, have been victims of the economic recession having borrowed €2.5m to develop new grounds.

Brian Cowen, a former player and secretary of the club, is currently the joint President of Clara GAA and officials are hopeful that they have found a way out of a crux that so typical of how organisations have suffered since the collapse of the Celtic Tiger.