Field of dreams become a reality

An “impossible” dream has been turned into “unbelievable” reality through an unwavering commitment to a lot of detailed planning, dedication and a lot of hard work, plus funds sourcing and raising to achieve their objective by Birdhill FC.

Last Friday evening there was a palpable sense of accomplishment in the mid August evening air as hundreds gathered to witness the blessing and official opening of the long term ambition to develop their own outstanding grounds, which has been achieved at a cost of more than €500,000 and is now within manageable distance of becoming debt free.

Rev Fr John O'Keeffe, PP blessed the grounds and there was a very warm welcome from Anthony Floyd, Chairman of Birdhill FC ,for founder chairman of the club in 1983, first team manager and sponsor of the clubs first set of jerseys, Mick Redmond. Mick had travelled from his now residence in the UK to perform the official opening and congratulate all involved in the development.

The attendance included Deputy Ryan O'Meara, Patrick Killeen, CEO, North Tipperary Development Company (LEADER), Louise Heffernan, Mulcair Credit Union, JP O'Meara, Chairman, Nenagh Municipal District, Cllr Dr Phyll Bugler, Cllr Pamela Quirke O'Meara, Adrian Cooke, North Tipperary & District League, Thomas Dwan, North Tipperary Schoolchildren's Football League, Nicole McKay, North Tipperary Women's League, Naoise Lawlor, Referees' Association,and James Scott, Head Coach with the Republic of Ireland women's U17 football team.

GRASPED AN OPPORTUNITY

In 2012 the club grasped an opportunity to purchase at auction a 6.5 acre roadside field on the Limerick Road close to the village for €30,000.

The field was low lying, extremely soggy and wet, with limited scope for drainage. Senior FAI official admired their ambition, but felt that the challenge of developing a playable pitch was an “impossible” task, and was most likely doomed to fail.

Less than a decade and a half later, some of the same officials honestly conceded they couldn't believe what they had achieved, as they admired a pitch of perfection.

In 2014 the club received planning permission for a “recreation and sports development including a main soccer pitch, training pitch, temporary changing room, including toilet facilities plus on site wastewater treatment system, hard stand parking area, existing entrance widening and future recreational areas and associated work achieved by backfilling the current site and requiring a waste licence”.

They then applied for and we were granted permission for a Waste Facility with the intention of raising the level of the land by 1 metre which took a number of years to complete with built in drainage etc to delivery an all season playable pitch.They applied for and succeeded in getting grant aid from Sports Capital and Leader Funds from the North Tipperary Development Company (LEADER) from the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020.

Half of the €500,000 plus expenditure has now been grant aided, and supported by various forms of fund raising. Their indebtedness is down to a “manageable” €70,000 balance and the club has state-of-the-art club facilities on the grounds and a playing pitch that any club would be proud of.

A robotic mower has recently been purchased to eliminate the regular three hour task of mowing the playing pitch.

Founded in 1983, the club enjoyed the support of local farmers who provided facilities for training and matches, but the dream was to develop their own.

In 1983 they started with a junior men's team. Over the years they have had teams affiliated at various different age groups both male and female with varying degrees of success.

Their junior ladies won the North Tipperary Premier Division last season and junior men won the 2nd Division Shield and the Nora Kennedy Cup last season.

The U13 boys won their division after a penalty shootout with Ballymackey with both sides finishing level on points after nine games each.

Now they are looking forward to even brighter days for the club and its members on and off the pitch.