'Biggest milestones': Carlow football club finally has place to call home

A football club in Carlow’s dream is “becoming a reality” after funding has been secured to develop a home for the team.

St Fiacc’s FC announced on Facebook that the LEADER grant aid has been approved by the Local Community Development Committee and Connect Laois.

“The dream is becoming a reality! There were moments when the finish line seemed to move further away. Times when it felt like we were climbing a mountain with no summit in sight. But we never lost faith. We never gave up. And today, we are thrilled to say that this long-held dream is finally becoming a reality. This is one of the biggest milestones in our club's history and marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter,” the post said.

Several hours of hard work by the Pitch Committee have led to this moment.

Grant applications, sourcing quotes, developing plans, and “more meetings than anyone could count” are just a few of the tasks that had to be completed.

St Fiacc’s FC thanked everyone who supported them throughout the journey and all those who contributed to their sponsoring events.

“Your generosity has been the foundation of this project,” the post on Facebook states.

“Today, we celebrate much more than the beginning of a construction project. Today, we are building a home for our members, our supporters and our community. Today, we are investing in the future of our club, ensuring that generations to come will have a place to play, belong and create lifelong memories,” it continued.

“After years of dreaming, planning and believing… the dream is finally becoming a reality. Let construction commence!” it concluded.

The LEADER 2023–2027 Programme is administered by the Department of Community and Rural Development and the Gaeltacht and is co-funded by the European Union.