DUNGANNON Eoghan Ruadh Hurling Club finally has a place to call home, 71 years after its foundation.
A magnificent new complex will be officially opened on Saturday, providing top class facilities for the club’s 200 hurlers. The facility - estimated to cost upwards of £1million on completion - has been created on parish-owned land at Donaghmore Road, the centrepiece of which is a state-of-the-art pitch complete with floodlights. A handball alley and skills wall, along with a half-mile perimeter floodlit walkway, have also been developed, with a clubhouse to follow as part of subsequent phases.
Despite having no permanent base, the club has won 23 senior county hurling titles, playing their matches at O’Neill Park, the home of Dungannon Clarke's GFC, and other neighbouring grounds.
“Everybody wants their own home. For 60 years of our existence, the Clarke's helped us and they only had one pitch. Now, they have two pitches, but the town is still in need of more GAA playing pitches,” said club chairman Tomás Colton.
“We have always had a good relationship with the Clarke's and that will continue. We have also played home games in Edendork, Maghery, Killyman, Cookstown, Garvaghey, Donaghmore and Galbally. All those clubs have put up with us over the years and we’re very grateful for that.”
The growing popularity of hurling in the county, allied to the work being done within the Eoghan Ruadh club in promoting the game and developing club structures, has led to greater demand for manpower and facilities.
“Over the past few years, we have expanded the club, with more and more parents becoming involved," said Colton.
“We have players from six or seven different football clubs and there’s absolutely no problem with dual players. We will also have the camogie and ladies' football club using the facility and there’s a good vibe around the town because of the development of this facility. It’s there for all to use, it’s free and it’s open seven days a week to the public.”
Funding was provided by the Department of Social Development and the former Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council and the club is hoping to attract financial backing from the GAA. But it was a massive fund-raising drive by club members which made the project possible.
“We were out selling tickets all around Ulster last year and we still have our own fundraising just to keep the club running,” said Colton.
“We have about seven phases. Phase one was the wall and alley, then phase two and three covered the pitch and the walkway. The main thing we needed was a pitch of our own. We have that and now we are trying to get funding for changing facilities and, possibly, a community hall. We have the space, so it’s all about getting funding.”
With around 200 players to cater for at all ages, a thriving youth policy promises a bright future for the club, but also places demands on coaches and increases the need for adequate facilities.
“We had 54 players who played adult for us this year and we have big numbers at all levels in the club. The numbers are as big as most football clubs," Colton added.
“Any hurling club in Ulster would tell you that we have one of the best underage structures in Ulster. The U14s showed that this year by winning the Antrim league, which entailed playing 11 games away from home.”
The official opening of the new Eoghan Ruadh complex takes place on Saturday, November 14.
