Cork Football Club, which produced former Irish football stars Colin Healy and the late Liam Miller, has been urged to apply for all available grants after the legal writ issue affecting its home ground for more than a quarter of a century was finally resolved.
Veteran Fine Gael councillor Derry Canty gave the advice to Ballincollig AFC members as they watched councillors approve the transfer of just over 2.8 hectares of land, known as The Landing Field, the club’s home ground for decades, to the club on a sporting lease subject to a nominal annual rent, if requested, of €10.
The club was promised title deed in 2001 when former Defence Minister Michael Smith got rid of it for the development of the former barracks land on which it sits.
The land was allocated to Cork County Council with the intention of leasing it to the club, but the legal transfer never took place. This meant that the club was unable to apply for state funding or grants.
The issue became the responsibility of Cork City Council following the extension of the city’s boundaries in 2019.
After months of intense negotiations, the land transfer project was presented to city councilors for approval on Monday evening.
Fianna Fáil councillor Colm Kelleher said it brought a long, long saga to a close.
“It’s legally binding and it means the club will finally get the deeds and keys to their home,” he said.
Veteran Fine Gael councillor Derry Canty said many people associated with the club had gone to their graves with the issue unresolved.
“But now it’s done and dusted, and I hope they’re looking down from heaven knowing that this is the club’s home ground from tonight,” he said.
“Club members can leave this meeting satisfied and apply now for every grant available.”
His party colleague, Garett Kelleher, said the city council had managed to solve a problem that the county council had failed to solve.
“I look forward to Ballincollig AFC now being able to compete with other clubs to apply for funding,” he said.
The 650-member football club is due to celebrate its 50th anniversary in May.
