Two rival GAA clubs do battle with bids to develop 15-acre site in south Dublin
Ballinteer St Johns outlined their bid to members in a recent newsletter, and revealed rival club Kilmacud Crokes has submitted a counter bid for the land.
The newsletter, titled 'a pitch of our own', said a strategic review had identified several facilities as 'required to sustain the size and growth' of the club's membership.
Ballinteer St John's has over 3,000 members and the use of five council-owned pitches, which includes their main field located next to Marlay Park.
The club's catchment includes Ballinteer, Churchtown, Dundrum and Rathfarnham, and it has more than 100 teams playing across all age groups and codes.
A fully owned pitch and training facility within easy reach to their clubhouse is deemed a priority for the club, and it has been working on the bid for the Ticknock site for 15 months.
'A highly skilled committee was established to locate suitable sites for purchase, and a number of locations were identified and explored,' the club said.
'In spring 2024, a 15-acre site on Ticknock Road became available, approximately 1.5km from our clubhouse and zoned appropriate for sport facilities, subject to planning permission. It quickly became the preferred option.
'Ballinteer St Johns made a preliminary offer on the site subject to further site investigation.
'The committee engaged with a Consulting Engineer firm who carried out an extensive survey, engineering and environmental studies on the site. All the evidence concluded it was challenging, but a very viable option.
'As the Executive Officers prepared a formal bid, the selling agent indicated that an unconditional bid had been made on the site (i.e. not subject to planning permission).
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'It quickly transpired the bid had come from another GAA club, Kilmacud Crokes.
'The Executive has met a number of times and discussed possible next steps. Last Monday a counterbid was issued by Ballinteer St Johns. There has been no update on the status of that bid.
'We are aware there has been some conversation around this situation within the wider club membership over the past week.
'As a Club Executive, we want to provide transparency and commit to keeping you informed of any future developments,' they added.
Kilmacud Crokes, based in Stillorgan, is one of the largest GAA clubs in the country with around 5,000 members and 130 teams.
They currently have three pitches, plus a half-sized all weather pitch, but regularly spend a large amount of their membership funding to rent pitches for training and games.
Their catchment area covers Clonskeagh, Dundrum, Kilmacud, Leopardstown, Mount Merrion and Stillorgan, and Crokes GAA Clubhouse is roughly 7km from the 15-acre site on Ticknock Road.
Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council said: 'Pre-planning consultations are carried out under section 247 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended.
'In accordance with this section such information is not in the public domain. The Planning Authority cannot therefore comment on such consultations.'
Kilmacud Crokes and the Dublin County Board have been contacted for comment.
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