Ranelagh Gaels wish to thank Dublin City Council (DCC) for their decision to put a juvenile GAA pitch in Dartry Park.

The club has used Dartry Park for training and matches for several years for football, hurling and camogie for children up to the age of 13.

DCC have erected goals and marked out a pitch, making it a home for the Gaels in Dublin 6, offering boys and girls between the ages of seven and 13 years old the chance to play and train near their homes.

The pitch, which cannot be used for adult matches, will help to cater for our more than 800 underage players.

In order to facilitate the pitch three small softwood trees will have to be removed, with Ranelagh Gaels paying for six hardwood three to be planted elsewhere in Darty Park as replacements.

The alignment of the pitch gives optimum pitch size for up to U13 games while leaving more contiguous space for other park users than the previous alignment for a soccer pitch which was in use the same location.

During this work DCC has in filled in many holes, erected signage and installed more bins which is of benefit to all park users.

As always, the club will encourage members to cycle to Dartry Park to cut down on traffic congestion, and respect other park users. 

"We are delighted to have the use of a juvenile pitch at Dartry Park and would like to thank Dublin City Council for all their efforts,” said Ranelagh Gaels Chairperson, Joe Davitt.

“Our girls and boys will have a local venue where they can practice their shooting skills with proper goalposts. Keeping all our young people active and involved in sport is at the forefront of the club's ethos. 

"Our biggest challenge as a club has been providing enough playing facilities for our teams. It is no surprise that there are few GAA clubs near the city centre due to a lack of green space! With over 1,000 members the club will continue for strive for our own full-sized pitch and clubhouse in the future.”

The new pitch will also be of major benefit to the many primary schools in the Dublin 4 and 6 areas that Ranelagh Gaels provide free GAA coaching through our dedicated Games Promotions Officer Simon Lambert and these schools will now have a pitch to use for home Cumann na mBunscol matches.