05 May 2003: Confey GAA Club and Confey FC have been given permission to use pitches in St Catherine’s Park, Leixlip, ending what has been described as a 'gypsy-like' period.
The move has been welcomed by Cllr Paul Kelly, who said these clubs can now start marking out their pitches and erecting goal posts. " It has been a very frustrating wait for the clubs, and especially all the young players, but now they can look forward to playing home matches at a ground they can genuinely call home," he says. This marks the end of a gypsy like period, during which they never knew with certainty whether pitches would be available on a regular, long term basis.”
In recent years, the park has been targeted by what Cllr Kelly calls 'a tiny group of people' who have caused a lot of damage. "Hopefully the use by these two highly respected local clubs will encourage a sense of pride and ownership, and maybe bring home to the troublemakers that the only people who really suffer as a result of their anti-social behaviour are their own friends and families."
He also called on the County Council to make sure car parking facilities are put in place immediately, so that cars would be encouraged to use the Black Avenue entrance. “The last thing we want is car-parking in the cul-de-sacs in Glendale and Glendale Meadows during matches. The residents warned us about this from the start, and I have insisted that the council take steps to prevent extra traffic and cars parking outside people’s houses. Let’s hope we don’t end up spoiling the satisfaction of gaining badly needed playing pitches by cutting corners on traffic management."
