Neighbouring Dublin clubs in competition to buy land

Ballinteer St John’s and Kilmacud Crokes vying for 15-acre site

Kilmacud Crokes made a bid for the site in July of last year, it's understood. Pic: INPHO/Evan Treacy

South Dublin GAA clubs Ballinteer St John’s and Kilmacud Crokes are among a number of sports organisations in a bidding battle for a 15-acre site.

The parcel of land on the Ticknock Road in the foothills of the Dublin Mountains has been zoned for sports facilities subject to planning permission and both units have made offers for the property.

In a circular to its members in recent days, Ballinteer St John’s executive outlined how they went about bidding for the land, which was put on the market in the spring of last year.

“Ballinteer St Johns made a preliminary offer on the site subject to further site investigation. The committee, through our planning advisor, engaged in pre-planning consultation with DLRCC (Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council) which delivered opinion on the site subject to caveats.

“The committee then engaged with a Consulting Engineer firm who carried out an extensive survey, engineering and environmental studies on the site. All the evidence concluded that it was challenging, but a very viable option.” 

The email adds that they learned of Crokes also making an offer as they formalised their own proposal. The Irish Examiner understands Crokes made a bid for the site in July of last year. St John’s state they made a counter-offer last week but had received “no update on the status of that bid”.

The pressure on GAA clubs in Dublin to reflect their growing membership has reached unprecedented levels. Ballinteer has over 3,000 members and five pitches including their main field in the adjacent Marlay Park as well as two juvenile pitches in Broadford.

Crokes have in excess of 5,000 members, 3,000 of them playing, and three pitches and a half-sized all-weather surface. It is believed they spend 50% of their membership income on renting pitches from the council and private owners.

The pair’s clubhouses on the Grange Road and Glenalbyn are 8km away from each other. Although there is no parish rule in Dublin, St Johns’s catchment area is largely Ballinteer, Churchtown, Rathfarnham and Dundrum. Crokes cover Clonskeagh, Dundrum, Kilmacud, Leopardstown, Mount Merrion and Stillorgan.

Last summer, nearby club Geraldines P Moran’s purchased a five-acre site in Cornelscourt for €1 million from the Catholic Church. St Brigid’s rugby club, who had been using the facility along with the GAA club, took issue with the sale.

The Dublin County Board remain on course to create playing facilities in Spawell, Templeogue and Hollystown in the north-west of the county.