Rockland GAA break ground

By Pierce O’Reilly

Rockland GAA folks are priming with confidence these last few weeks. Their footballers are winning games that most other teams would have lost and then there is the issue of owning their own pitch.

The Rockland Gaelic Football Club is the only club in the tri-state that owns its own field and that’s no mean achievement. The club, which was formed 27 years ago, purchased an 8.5-acre site at the Rockland Psychiatric Center last month for $425,000 and already have made huge inroads into paying off the debt.

The president of the club, Thomas Fennell, said he is delighted with the progress at the official pitch opening last Saturday.

"We have used the game to enlighten our children about their Irish heritage and to develop sportsmanship and good citizenship among all," he told the assembled supporters. "This mission to serve the people of Rockland has been fortified as a result of this transaction."

The Rockland GFC has over 300 members and more than nine teams partaking in all grades from U-10 to senior.

To date, the club has raised the 20 percent downpayment of $85,000 and is at present running a major fund-raising drive to cover the outstanding balance.

"This is for the entire community," Fennell said. "The GAA has been using these fields for the last 25 years and I’m delighted it will remain that way."

Gov. George Pataki who was represented at the event by his aides, said he was delighted to see the local club getting its own ground.

In an effort to protect the land as open space, provisions in the real estate transaction state that any future resale of the property will be restricted to non-profit recreational usage.

Patrick Moroney, Rockland County legislator, called the venture "a field of dreams."