St Kevin’s hurling and Camogie plea against sale of Dolphin park land.

St Kevin’s hurling and camogie GAA club is in danger of losing its playing pitches in Dolphins Park because of the planned sale of the land for development.

The club has appealed to the GAA to work with them to prevent the sale of the green space which contains five playing pitches for st. Kevin’s.

Dolphins Park is the only green space big enough to provide playing pitches in the Dublin 8 area and is the only place in the whole South inner city to have pitches.

The park has been the home of St Kevin’s Hurling and Camogie GAA club  for over 40 years, with the club going back to when the club members were affiliated with Synge Street Christian Brothers.

In a statement released by the club they say they provide for 18 teams, all below the age of 14, plus a nursery which caters for 120 kids aged four to seven weekly.

St Kevin’s facilities chairman JJ O’ Mahony says that it is important to keep these pitches as local as possible.

“We don’t want pitches further out in the suburbs, we need to keep access to these pitches close to where our children and young people are living, not further away.

“All children living in the Liberties of Meath street, Donore Avenue,  Francis Street, Dolphin‘s Barn and Rialto deserve the same opportunity to learn the skills of hurling and camogie as other kids from other parts of the city and country.”

Club spokesperson Tommy Daly also added “This is about the children of the area. . . Having the opportunity to head up to the pitches and practise their hurling and camogie skills.”

The club is expecting a 7% annual growth in numbers, with a predicted 36 teams being catered for in 10 years time.