Big development plans lodged in Laois by Portlaoise GAA club

Portlaoise GAA club is taking the first official steps for the multi-million euro development of its facilities in Rathleague.

More than a decade since ambitions plans for extensive facilities had to be shelved when the club was faced with at €6.5 million debt, the town club is in the process of lodging a planning application with Laois County Council for its grounds on the outskirts of the county town.

Portlaoise GAA has notified Laois County Council that it intends to apply for planning permission to demolish existing clubhouse and to construct a new clubhouse and sports hall.

It says the facilities will include a single story clubhouse with four dressing rooms dressing rooms, toilets, meeting room, sports hall and all associated site works at Rathleague.

The planning application is a key plank in plans launched in 2021 to realise some of the ambition for Rathleague where the club have been located since 2008. The vast bulk of the work done Rathleague since than has focused on the pitches with limited dressing rooms and other facilities available.

Now, the club says it wants deliver on its facility development in three phases with Phase 1, or TOWN25, to be completed by 2025. The club says it aims to deliver a combination of both indoor and outdoor facilities.  A survey carried out among members in advance of the publishing of the blueprint revealed that nearly 70% of members put the development of a new clubhouse as priority one.

Other aims in phase one include walking track, pitch upgrade program with a fifth pitch to be developed and floodlights.

The cost of phase 1 was estimated in 2021 to run to more than €1 million. This was expected to be covered from available club funds of €270,000, grants of €130,000 and €600,000 raised by year three from, bingo, sports capital fund, national draw, Rathleague concert, Town 25 Festival, car draw and additional grants.

The second phase ambitions include new reception areas, additional indoor function areas, kitchen and meeting spaces, further pitch upgrade development and additional floodlights.

The club has said the third and final phase will focus on the more "ambitious and aspirational design features" that were highlighted in the consultation process. In addition to finalising the pitch upgrade program, the club also aims to complete the final phase of the clubhouse - a total of eight dressing rooms - a sports hall and develop a 4g astro turf pitch for all year access.

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The club's three phase plan is more modest the an extensive project which was granted in 2007 for a club house that would include 14 dressing rooms a sports hall, bar, lounge and restaurant facilities, leisure centre to include swimming pool, gym, aerobics area and other facilities and nine full sized playing pitches. Two spectator stands were also planned alongside a children's play area.

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The project was never realised because of the property crash which saw a major residential and commercial development plan for the old grounds on Fr Brown Avenue collapse. 

An Bórd Pleanála found against the proposal in December 2008 and a Cork company pulled the plug in early 2009, leaving the club €6,500,000 in debt and in possession of two properties.

Portlaoise GAA were eventually rescued by a deal brokered by Croker Park which saw Laois GAA taking ownership of the old grounds beside MW O'Moore Park. The land was subsequently transformed into the LOETB Laois GAA Centre of Excellence.