LACK OF GAA FACILITIES: Ardoyne U-14 camogs forced to train in North Belfast park

A YOUNG camogie team were forced to train in a North Belfast park this week – once more highlighting the lack of GAA pitch provision in the area.

Currently, Cliftonville Playing Fields is the only facility used for GAA games in North Belfast, at a time when demand for the pitch has risen as the popularity of football, hurling and camogie has soared in the north of the city.

Earlier this year, we reported on the formation of the North Belfast GAA pitch forum, made up of local clubs including Ardoyne Kickhams GAC, Pearses GAC and Wolfe Tones GAC, along with local elected representatives who have come together to urge Belfast City Council to address the lack of pitches for the sport in the area.

Gaelic Games continue to grow & thrive in the north of the city but we don’t have the facilities to match this continued growth.

Alongside GAA clubs throughout Belfast, we met with @belfastcc Chief Exec John Walsh to discuss how we can rectify this going forward. pic.twitter.com/pu9MciWSHQ

— John Finucane MP (@johnfinucane) June 10, 2023

This week, the Ardoyne Kickhams GAC U-14 girls camogie team were forced to train in Alexandra Park, having been left with no pitch to use.

The club said: "This week our U-14 Camogie players didn’t have a pitch to train on. We had to take them to a local park. We had to check there was no glass or excrement in the grass.

"We made the session as enjoyable as possible but the girls need a pitch to train on.

"North Belfast has zero dedicated GAA pitches. Two clubs use the one multi-sports facility but this falls way short of what is required.

"It is time for extra GAA pitches in North Belfast."