Clubs urged to give full support to major fundraiser
Westmeath GAA chairman Frank Mescall has called on clubs to continue selling tickets for the current Westmeath GAA fundraiser, which offers a home in Spain as the grand prize.
“Please keep up the efforts you are making in selling tickets for our Westmeath GAA fundraiser,” he urged delegates at a County Committee meeting in the Mullingar Park Hotel.
The chairman highlighted the success of one club that has already exceeded expectations. “One club sold all their tickets and even asked for more. They took a simple approach; most of the club executives were given five tickets each and asked to sell them, which they did. Between the men's and women's sections of the club, they managed to sell 100 tickets. It shows that it can be done,” he added.
Elsewhere, it was announced that Westmeath GAA is running a competition to find a suitable name for their new home in Mullingar. The Centre of Excellence is being built in the Robinstown area of the town and will include six new pitches as part of the phased development.
When linked to the current 3G all-weather facility at Lakepoint Park, it will give Westmeath GAA a total of seven playing pitches, along with a range of ancillary services.
It will take some years to complete and the estimated cost of the entire project is between 10 and €15m. “Every school in the county and secondary schools are going to be entering a competition over the coming weeks. I want to thank Marie Lynagh (PRO) for devising the poster that will go into the schools. What is the competition all about? It’s to give a name to our home, to our centre,” explained County Committee chairman Frank Mescall.
“We don’t want, really and truly, Westmeath Centre of Excellence. We’d like something like the Faithful Fields (Offaly’s GAA), which I think is a lovely name. We hope that some boy or girl will be inspired.
“Would you people also be thinking about it? You’re not allowed to enter the competition, but we would value any ideas you have. Just think of the Lake County, Croí na hÉireann. Think of the mythology of our county, the history of Gaelic Games. And remember, this is for ladies and gentlemen, in the four codes.”