Limerick clubs rally around Na Piarsaigh with offers to use facilities

NA Piarsaigh GAA club which has seen its pitches destroyed by flooding, has received a number of offers from other clubs to use their facilities to train.

The former All-Ireland club champions’ complex was hit by floods after the heavy rain which hit much of the northside of the city over the weekend.

With their pitches rendered unplayable at present, club volunteers have been working around the clock to clear the water and establish the extent of the damage.

In the meantime, secretary Donie O’Gorman has confirmed a number of clubs have made contact offering use of their facilities.

“It really says a lot about the GAA in Limerick, and indeed other sports in Limerick,” he told The Leader.

Among those who have made a generous offer to the side, who are looking to make it three county titles in a row, are fellow city clubs Old Christians, and Ballinacurra Gaels, and a number of county teams including Garryspillane and Fedamore.

Even neighbouring Shannon Rugby Club has been in contact, Mr O’Gorman revealed.

 Over the last five years, members of the Caherdavin club have helped raise in excess of €1m for pitches, hurling walls and astroturf.

Club stalwart Timmy O’Connor, the former president said: “We are trying to get the water off the pitch at the moment. That's the priority. We are trying to pump it. We just don't know how much damage there will be until we get the experts and engineers, until the water has gone off of the pitch. But it will be a couple of days before we can do this.”

Timmy was on site in Elm Drive all day Saturday and Sunday and from 8.30am this Monday morning.

“We need to get the pitch checked. It’s too risky for any players due to contamination. We are taking no chances, and we will do things properly,” he confirmed.

The flooding followed the breach of an embankment in the River Shannon, coupled with this year’s highest tides.