Milebush Park
The grounds at Milebush Park comprising of approximately 11 acres was purchased in December 1986 for a sum of £48,000 plus Stamp Duty and Legal Fees amounting to a further £5,000 - A total in today’s money of approximately €67,000. A separate company, Mayo League Community Stadium Club Ltd, was set up to oversee the running and development of Milebush. The Directors appointed were Henry Downes (Chairman), Michael Feeney (Secretary), Pat Quigley, Joe Butler, Donal Benson and Michael Keaveney.
In order to pay for the grounds and development works, Henry Downes and Michael Feeney launched two major fund raising campaigns. The first development of the main pitch was commenced during the period 1987 / 8 and games were played on the pitch shortly afterwards.
The clubhouse, as we know it today, was built during 1992 at a cost in excess of £150,000. This was funded by a local contribution of £45,000 (fundraised locally), and an initial Grant from the Department of Education of £50,000. A further Grant of £25,000 was secured for the completion of this project. Local T.D and Minister Padraig Flynn played a major role in securing funding for the project. Financial assistance was also secured from the F.A.I. through the offices of Pat Quigley.
The early nineties saw Milebush become the “Mecca” of football in Mayo, with all local finals, Inter League games being played on the finely manicured surface. The standard of the complex was recognized by the F.A.I. when Milebush hosted an Under 14 International match between the Republic of Ireland and France in the mid nineties, and an Under 21 International match between Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in 1997. A comment from the then Northern Ireland manager Laurie McMenamy “Roll it up, and I will bring it home with me”, was evidence of the quality of the playing surface.
The standards at Milebush continued during the nineties when it hosted the Oscar Traynor semi finals and finals in 1997 with the Kilkenny & District league coming out in top in a group of 4 involving Mayo League, Kerry League and A.U.L. Dublin. The upkeep and the maintenance were overseen during this period by the FAS Community Employment Scheme, which ended in 1999.
Further development started in 2001 with the erection of the Henry Downes Stand. The stand was built at a cost of €80,000 with a grant of €52,000 coming from the Department of Arts, Sport & Tourism. The floodlit OmniGrass all weather facility was installed in 2003 / 4 at a cost of €1,000,000, which was grant aided to the tune of €700,000 by the Department also – the balance of the funding coming from the Mayo League’s own resources, and the Player Registration fees from the clubs. The privilege of using this new facility fell to Leo Tierney and Pat Gavin’s Mayo Under 15 team on the 11th February 2004. The F.A.I. also recognized the facility when the grounds hosted the F.A.I. Youths Cup Final between Erris Utd. and Lettterkenny Rovers (2004), and a 5 Nation International Under 17 Girls tournament involving Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, England , Scotland and U.S.A. The F.A.I Youths Cup Final of 2007 between Castlebar Celtic and Everton from Cork was also played at the venue.
The main pitch at Milebush has in excess of 50 games played on it each year involving local Cup Finals, Inter League fixtures at all grades, Schoolboys / girls and Women’s Finals, Connaught Colleges finals, F.A.I. National trials, Summer Camps, and eircom Under 21 League games.
The OmniGrass facility has approximately 700 uses in the season involving coaching, training, club use, 5-a-sides and blitz tournaments. This facility is used day and night whatever the weather, and has been a major factor in the development and success of Mayo teams in recent times.
Plans are currently in place to extend the dressing rooms with Planning Permission now secured. It is hoped further funding from the Department of Sport will be forthcoming for this project to commence before the end of 2006. A FAS Community Employment Scheme was restored in 2002/3 and 2005/6 to upkeep and maintain the facilities.
Milebush Park is now an official F.A.I. Regional Centre with many programmes and events taking place as part of the development of the game in the region, including F.A.I. FAS Development Programme, Emerging Talent Programme, and National Trials etc.
The current Directors of Milebush (M.L.C.S.C.L) are Henry Downes, Pat Quigley, Tom Kelly, Joe Butler and Donal Benson.
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