Government provide €500,000 grant for Gaelic Park in NY

The Irish Government has approved a grant of €500,000 towards the redevelopment of Gaelic Park in New York.

The funding is being made available through the Government's Emigrant Support Programme.

The announcement was made by Tánaiste, Micheál Martin TD, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence who has reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to the overseas development of Gaelic Games.

The finding announcement was made at a meeting in New York today with representatives of the GAA in New York, led by its Chairperson Joan Henchy.

Gaelic Park has served as a home for Gaelic games in New York City since 1926. Between 350 – 400 players from nursery age to adult senior level use the playing facility of Gaelic Park weekly.

There are currently 50 Gaelic games clubs in existence in New York.

The funding will be directed towards the building of a two story, 12,000 square foot facility.

The $6.2 million project has already received $2 million from Croke Park and this newly announced €500,000 contribution from the Irish government will enable the project to meet its projected completion date of March 2024.

Upon completion, the redevelopment in Gaelic Park will include a fully furbished function room, catering facilities, medical office, two development offices and downstairs changing rooms.

The support announced by the Tánaiste is in addition to Emigrant Support Programme funding provided annually to the GAA through the Department of Foreign Affairs’ Global Games Development Fund which supports GAA clubs and enables them to create a sporting and community network for the Diaspora worldwide.

Currently, the GAA estimates it has more than 450 GAA clubs operating outside of Ireland and throughout the Americas, Asia, Australia, Europe