Six major GAA grounds around the country have benefited from grants totalling just over £1.5 million for development work and improvements under the 2001 Sports Capital Programme, the details of which were announced in Dublin yesterday by the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation Jim McDaid.

Pearse Stadium in Galway is the biggest beneficiary with £650,000, followed by the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick, which got £500,000. Nowlan Park in Kilkenny, Dr Cullen Park, Carlow, Drogheda Gaelic Grounds in Louth and Hyde Park in Roscommon each received £100,000.

Situated in Salthill, Pearse Stadium is in the final stages of its total refurbishment, due to be completed at the end of the year and then opened for the spring season. "It is a fantastic job," said Galway football chairman Pat Egan. "It was a complete redevelopment and it will be a top-class facility.

"Three sides of the ground are already finished and the playing surface is already in excellent condition. The last side will be finished by October and it will be one of the best grounds in the country when it's completed."

There is also an ambitious project in the pipeline for a complete refurbishment at the Gaelic Grounds, estimated to cost in the region of £8.5 million. Discussions are currently underway between the county board and Munster Council and Croke Park, and the grant of £500,000 comes as the first stage in an anticipated series of Government funding. The plans include an extension of the 36,000 capacity.

The allocation for Nowlan Park will be used for more general purposes. "We have recently completed a new stand and the idea is to extend that and add further improvements," explained county secretary Pat Dunphy.

"There is still a lot of work to be done in the grounds in terms of general upgrading and so this grant will be used for a variety of purposes."

According to Minister McDaid, the allocations are in line with the policy he has pursued over the past three years of providing support for the development of county GAA grounds, as well as leading soccer and rugby grounds throughout the country.

Over the past four years the department has provided over £4.6 million in grants for 19 GAA county grounds.

"We all hear stories about young players sheltering from the rain behind a hedge as they change before or after a game," said McDaid. "That, of course, still happens on occasion, but it is by no means as common a feature of Irish sport as it used to be.

"As is evident from the level of funding I have been discussing, we have been making a very determined effort to bring about substantial improvements in the conditions and facilities we provide for our sports people. We are committed to continue on this course and I expect to be publicly advertising for applications under the 2002 Sports Capital Programme in the late autumn."

With yesterday's allocation, the total funding provided under the 2001 Sports Capital Programme amounts to £43.5 million for 696 projects across the country.