Pictured at the new WLGFA site are young players Ellie O'Connor, Elsie May Shaw with sisters and Waterford Ladies senior county players Aoife and Emma Murray
Waterford Ladies Gaelic Football Association have become the first ladies county football team to fully own their own grounds outright in Ireland.
After years of fundraising, an 11 acre site beside the Waterford Greenway on the edge of Dungarvan at Ballinroad will be the WLGFA's new home.
Work on the field is expected to commence by the summer and will consist of a state-of-the-art pitch with pitch side spectator stand, changing rooms, coach and car park and a full six lane running track around the perimeter of the pitch.
The facilities will be available for use to all county and club teams in the Waterford LGFA across all grades and will mean that county players will no longer have to travel to different GAA fields around the county and not knowing where their next training session will be on a weekly and even daily basis.
It is intended that the full fit out and works for the new county ladies football team facility will be funded by the sale of nearby development lands from which the entire profit will be split 70% to the WLGFA and the remaining 30% to the local Kilgobinet GAA club and it is expected works will commence by summer 2021 and be completed by the Spring of 2023.
The new grounds will be available for use by WLGFA county teams and clubs along with the wider community both locally and nationally.
Edel Curry, secretary of Waterford LGFA field development sub-committee said “It is the intention of the Waterford Ladies Gaelic Football Association to provide a multifunctional playing and facilities development in what is a strategic location in the county.
"This will be the first such freehold facility nationally and we firmly believe that it will be a key driver for the greater development of the entire area in terms of sporting, social and economic advancement.
"We firmly believe that our project will greatly enhance the participation of all age categories in our sport and look forward to its immediate commencement.
"Ladies Gaelic Football is the fastest growing sport in Ireland today and our facility will be the first of its kind.The youngsters who will benefit from this development will be our stars of the future and hopefully bring continued All Ireland glory."
Michelle Ryan, a former Waterford LGFA senior county team player said “I’m delighted to see that the plans for a Waterford LGFA pitch and training facility will soon come to fruition.
"It is a huge testament to the progressive vision & commitment of Waterford LGFA members, supporters and administrators.
"This will be a very valuable asset to Waterford LGFA moving forward as it will create a much-needed base that we can call our own.
"Such a facility can only further enhance the growth and development of all our adult and underage teams in the future.”
The facilities will be available for use to all county and club teams in the Waterford LGFA across all grades and will mean that county players will no longer have to travel to different GAA fields around the county and not knowing where their next training session will be on a weekly and even daily basis.
