GAA President officially opens the Swan Club's 'majestic' Páirc na nEalaí in Carrick-on-Suir

Pictured at the unveiling of the commemorative plaque were: Sean McDonnell, Swan Club Treasurer; Jim Bourke, Swan Club Chairman; GAA President Larry McCarthy, Johnny Flynn, Swan Club Life President; Sean O’Shea, Swan Club Development Officer and Frankie Nolan, Swan Club Secretary

Carrick Swan GAA Club’s field of dreams, Páirc na nEalaí, was officially opened on Sunday by GAA President Larry McCarthy who described the grounds as “absolutely majestic” before cutting the ribbon and unveiling a commemorative plaque at the clubhouse.

The ceremony attended by a large crowd of Swan Club members, supporters, local politicans, GAA officials and dignitaries was the climax of a weekend of celebrations to officially open the playing grounds at Ballyrichard, Carrick-on-Suir.

What was once a derelict overgrown caravan site blighted by illegal dumping and anti-social behaviour has been transformed, through the investment of more than €1m, into one of the top club playing grounds in the country.

It comprises a state-of-the-art playing pitch with floodlights and electronic scoreboard, large tarmac surfaced car park and a two-storey clubhouse.

Balmy sunny weather and music from Carrick Brass Band contributed to a festive atmosphere at the official opening. Páirc na nEalaí, festooned in bunting, balloons and flags in the Swan Club’s distinctive black and white colours, looked splendid as club members young and old gathered in a marquee erected beside the clubhouse and at outdoor seating to listen to the speeches.

The celebrations began last Friday evening when Bishop of Waterford & Lismore Alphonsus Cullinan celebrated a Remembrance Mass and blessed Páirc na nEalaí with local parish priests.

The playing grounds’ beautifully manicured pitch hosted juvenile hurling, camogie and football matches last Saturday along with matches played by the club’s Junior hurlers and ladies camogie team.

GAA President Larry McCarthy congratulated the Swan Club on what it has achieved in developing this “magnificent grounds”, which was a credit to everyone in the club.

“It’s absolutely majestic and I see a lot of grounds around the country. This is fabulous and it’s up there with all the others I have seen over the past two years.”

He thanked the Swan Club’s members for all they did for the GAA, which he described as the best community based sporting organisation in the country with tentacles in every parish on this island. He recalled the Swan Club’s foundation in 1929 at the start of the Great Depression and thanked all who had worked to develop the club since then.

Swan Club Chairman Jim Bourke, in his speech, remembered all the great Swan Club men and women who gave lifetimes of service to the club and was delighted that one of those great men – the club’s Life President Johnny Flynn was present at the ceremony. Johnny along with his great friend, the late Paddy Boland and many others did so much to develop the club.

“Their dedication and perseverance often through leaner times has enabled the current developments. I’m sure all who have gone before us would be extremely proud of what has been achieved in Páirc na nEalaí.

“This is indeed an historic and special day for all the members and their families. For all Swan people, young and old, who hold the club in such high standing, it is one of our proudest days.”

Mr Bourke said the completion of Páirc na nEalaí to such a high standard has given the club added impetus in the last few years.

“I’m sure it will enable us through continued dedication and hard work to emulate the successes of the past and create new heroes and role models for the generations to follow.”

The Chairman traced the history of the development of Páirc na nEalaí. He recalled the necessity of developing the facility was proposed in the club’s five-year plan in 2012.

The site was identified in 2014, purchased in 2015 and planning was obtained in 2017. Work began on the field in 2018 and on the clubhouse the following year.

“What seemed an almost impossible task has been achieved in just a few short years culminating in our first senior match (at Pairc na nEalai) in July 2020.”

Mr Bourke paid tribute to the club’s hugely successful fundraising efforts and described the support of the community and membership as “humbling”.

“The mainstay of our fundraising has been our weekly lotto and we thank Sean McDonnell and all the Lotto Committee and collectors for their ongoing hard work since its inception. Our Strictly Come Dancing fundraiser and annual 12 Days of

Christmas Draw have also been generously supported by the people of Carrick and beyond. Many thanks to all involved who have made these such a huge success.”

Swan Club Development Officer Sean O’Shea recalled in his speech how the journey to get Pairc na nEalaí to the stage it is now wasn’t always easy.

“There were many sleepless nights and into the mix we had to navigate a pandemic. But once we got the directive that the locks could come off the gates, we eventually let our players loose onto the pitch where they resembled young calves being put out on grass for the first time,” he joked.

“The GAA club is the hub of any community and here in Carrick Swan we are there for people in both the good and bad times and that has been repaid in spades by that same community who support our fundraising initiatives so well.”

At the conclusion of his speech, he said the Swan Club Development Committee’s reward was hearing the laughter of children playing at Páirc na nEalai.

“Yesterday Páirc na nEalaí was filled with children, or as we call them “the Cygnets”. They were enjoying themselves and having fun in a safe and happy environment. They are the future and that is the legacy.”

The official opening was also addressed by GAA Munster Council Chairman Ger Ryan and Tipperary GAA County Board Chairman Joe Kennedy.

Mr Ryan praised Páirc na nEalai as a “real labour of love and success” for the Swan Club. He recalled Sean O’Shea making one of the best ever presentations to the Munster Council about the development when it was at proposal stage.

“We were delighted to support it and delighted to see it come out exactly as Sean predicted,” he said.

Mr Kennedy said it took people of great visiton to see what was needed in the future but it took people of great leadership to deliver on it and a decade later the Swan Club has delivered exactly what it planned.

He described Páirc na nEalái playing pitch as one of the best in the country and he regarded the surface and condition of the pitch as “second to none”, almost as good as Semple Stadium.

Presentations were made at the end of the ceremony to GAA President Larry McCarthy and to Sean O’Shea in tribute to his trojan work in the development of Páirc na nEalaí.

The weekend of celebrations concluded with a Premier Intermediate League hurling match between the Swan and Portroe, which Portroe won by two points.

Swan Club Committee members and members pictured at the official opening of Páirc na nEalaí. Pictured back row: L to R: Kevin Lanigan, Gerry McDonnell, Seamus Walsh, Jim Kennedy, Colm O'Sullivan, Alan P Ryan, Niall Walsh, Sean O'Shea, Frankie Nolan, Jim Bourke. 

Front: L to R: Willie Hahessy, Robbie Flynn, Kevin McDonnell, Elaine Power, Siobhan O'Dwyer, Mary Barrett, Sean McDonnell