New high-performance centre to take Antrim GAA 'to the next level'

The facility at the county’s centre of excellence in Dunsilly was officially opened on Saturday.

Sun, 19 Nov, 2023 - 13:28

John Fogarty

Antrim GAA have made a major statement with the opening of a €570,000 high-performance centre considered to be among the best in the association.

Hailed by Galway manager Henry Shefflin who was privy to a visit, the facility at the county’s centre of excellence in Dunsilly just outside Antrim town was officially opened on Saturday.

A purpose-built 20mx12m gym with 11 racks complements the venue which has two floodlit pitches. The building boasts a 60-person capacity meeting room, a fully-fitted kitchen area, an interactive TV and video analysis system as well as a private physio room and store. The air-conditioned building also has LED lights and is wired for Bluetooth and Wifi.

For a county that had been relying on the likes of University of Ulster Jordanstown for gym work, the addition is considered a significant step forward for Antrim, who will again compete in the Allianz Hurling top flight and Leinster SHC in 2024 and hope to be in the promotion shake-up in football’s Division 3.

Antrim GAA executive member and project manager Tony Shivers said: “This will bring Antrim to the next level. We are not Kilkenny, we are not Galway but by God we’re trying. This will inspire. Imagine coming in here as a developmental squad, a 14-year-old. People are now proud to wear that Saffron jersey.

“I’m proud of the people of Antrim who have helped put it here. You have the likes of Club Aontroma, Casement Park social club, Saffron Business Forum. This is a £500,000 investment, likely £100,000 more than we would have liked it to be, but the clubs of Antrim will speak up. They will support us on this because we’re going in the one direction.”

Antrim chairman Ciarán McCavana, who shortly finishes his term, cut the tape on the high performance centre, which didn’t require any borrowing to be completed. “This isn’t just a facility for county teams, it’s for all the clubs in the county and all codes,” he insisted.