Progress on plans for new Westmeath centre of excellence

Westmeath minor football manager and former Dublin footballer Tommy Carr is among the names attached to a new committee to oversee the establishment of a Westmeath GAA centre of excellence at Columb Barracks, Mullingar.

 The mission of the committee, revealed at last week's county board meeting in Cusack Park, is to manage the running of the facility, and to act as a point of reference between the GAA and the wider community in Westmeath.

Carr will be joined by Westmeath GAA youth officer Frank Mescall, Westmeath Camogie Board chairperson Olive Leonard, Westmeath ladies football chairperson Geraldine Giles, Sean Brady (Killucan), Sean Finnegan (Mullingar) and the county’s coaching and games development officer, Noel Delaney.

 Westmeath County Board chairman, Sean Sheridan, updated club delegates as to where the GAA’s occupancy of Columb Barracks stands.

 “The gym is being painted at the moment, and we’re trying to source quality equipment, which will be supervised,” Mr Sheridan said.

 “Anybody who wants to make use of it after it opens is welcome to make contact with the committee, or with myself or James [Savage, county secretary], and we are also on that committee.”

 The huge Camp Field in the surrounds of the barracks have been cleared of overgrown grass, with bales of hay taken away by a local farmer. The field, it is envisioned, will be developed into pitches and training facilities.

 “There’s a lot of work still to be done, but we hope to have it officially open in the next four to six weeks,” the chairman continued. “It will be a centre of excellence for performance training.

 “The sign is ready to go up, and we have a committee in place now to make sure everything is done right.”

 The Tyrrellspass clubman reminded delegates that Columb Barracks will be there for use by everyone connected to GAA – county and club teams, ladies and gents, handballers and school groups.