A minis rugby club in Foxrock, Dublin, has accused a local GAA club of a “land grab” after it bought a five-acre playing field the two groups have enjoyed shared access to for many years.
The GAA club, Geraldines P Moran, known as “the Gers”, has played rent-free for the past 65 years on a parish field located next to Dunnes Stores in Cornelscourt that is managed by Foxrock Catholic parish for a Dublin diocese trust.
St Brigid’s RFC, which caters for children up to under-13s, has shared the ground for many years. It is also used by the local primary school, St Brigid’s boys national school, which is based on nearby Mart Lane in Foxrock. However, a dispute has broken out after the GAA club reached an agreement with Foxrock parish for the purchase of the field, which will be funded through debt financing and club fundraising. Some bridging finance has been provided by the GAA.
[ South Dublin GAA club buys playing field in prime Foxrock siteOpens in new window ]
A “side agreement” between the parish and the GAA club, which has been seen by The Irish Times, stipulates that both parties “agree to permit the continued use of the premises by the sporting clubs and other users in the same manner as has taken place to date”.
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The agreement also stipulates that arrangements for usage “will be confirmed each year in a written agreement”, which will include a formula for sharing running costs.
However, St Brigid’s RFC secretary Morgan Cassidy called the deal a “land grab” by the GAA. “Even though they say everything is staying the same they can decide at any point they don’t want us there. We are quite uncomfortable with that. The agreement says 80 per cent of our members have to be a student of St Brigid’s boys national school. That’s discriminatory, and it’s a clear effort at stopping us expanding or growing in any way, shape or form. It’s an open naked attempt at controlling our club.”
Currently about 65-70 per cent of the children in the club are in St Brigid’s boys school, he added.
“We’ve gone back to the church with a letter from our solicitors,” he said. “We’re quite clear. We want the church to stop the sale, and we’ve told the church this. It is dividing the community. We want them to work with both clubs to achieve a fair agreement.”
Ger Moffatt, chairman of the GAA club, said it was willing to work with the rugby club to find a solution.
“The parish asked the rugby club five weeks ago just to list their concerns and that we could sit down and discuss them. That’s what we’re waiting on. Then the parish and ourselves and themselves can have a constructive dialogue and address these things. We are protecting their access. The type of things we’ve heard mentioned are all things that can be addressed. Once they document the issues of course we are happy to sit down and work out a solution with them.”
Richard O’Donohue, chairman of the finance committee of Foxrock parish, said he was awaiting further contact from the rugby club.
“Obviously we are aware of the commentary that is taking place regarding the sale of the parish field and particularly regarding the rugby club’s continued right of use,” he said. “While we believe that the rights of the rugby club and all other current users have been protected, we have been in communication with the rugby club for the past few weeks and are awaiting a response from their solicitors regarding their concerns. At this stage we are not going to comment further until we have heard back from them.”
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