CRICKET clubs in the Republic were the big losers when the sports minister announced over EUR 75million in Lottery grants for sports facilities on Good Friday. The total allocations were up 35% up on last year, an increase of EUR 20million.
But only one cricket club, Cork Harlequins, is to receive any sum at all, and that a derisory EUR10,000. Over 850 local, municipal, regional and national projects the length and breadth of the country are to receive moneys under the Sports Capital Programme.
This is by far the largest ever allocation by the Government for sports and recreational projects. Sports minister Dr Jim McDaid said "One of the key elements of Government policy in relation to the development of sport and recreation is to encourage participation."
Dr McDaid said he considered the grants that were announced today to be an integral part of developing Ireland's sporting infrastructure. "It is vitally important that everybody participating in sport at a local level is afforded the opportunity to develop and enhance their skills. By putting in place quality facilities throughout the country this Government is making that a reality."
With the prospect of two major international tournaments being held in Ireland over the next few years, the clubs in the South have missed a chance to upgrade or extend their facilities.
A county-by-county analysis shows that, as expected, Donegal (EUR5milion) fares best on a per capita basis, third only to Dublin (EUR21million) and Cork (EUR7million). McDaid is TD for Donegal South-West.
- CARLOW - 489,000
- CAVAN - 691,200
- CLARE - 1,123,000
- CORK - 7,251,000
- DONEGAL - 5,039,000
- DUBLIN - 21,454,900
- GALWAY - 3,058,00
- KERRY - 2,835,200
- KILDARE - 4,870,000
- KILKENNY - 1,116,500
- LAOIS - 809,000
- LEITRIM - 837,600
- LIMERICK - 2,656,000
- LONGFORD - 757,400
- LOUTH - 2,545,000
- MAYO - 2,284,000
- MEATH - 1,605,000
- MONAGHAN - 1,233,000
- OFFALY - 405,000
- ROSCOMMON - 1,301,000
- SLIGO - 1,527,600
- TIPPERARY - 2,478,000
- WATERFORD - 3,253,000
- WESTMEATH - 2,319,000
- WEXFORD - 2,121,000
- WICKLOW - 1,813,000
Despite the presence of such a powerful figure in the county, Co Donegal cricket club St Johnston were not blessed with the state's largesse. However the St Johnston Orange Hall Bowling Club can be grateful for the EUR10,000 they received.
Other deserving causes in a list dominated by GAA and golf clubs include
- St. Fiac's Pitch & Putt Club, Carlow - EUR10,000
- Clare Scout Development Committee - EUR40,000
- Castletown-Kinneigh, Co Cork Table Tennis - EUR12,000
- Donegal Bay Sub Aqua Club - EUR20,000
- East Donegal Pony Club - EUR7,000
- Raphoe Ladies Hockey Club - EUR3,000
- Balbriggan Rugby Football Club - EUR110,000
- Aughrim Street Scout Unit 9/10 Dublin - EUR52,000
- Bushido Kickboxing Karate - EUR16,000
- St Bridget's Pitch & Putt Club, Kildare - EUR30,000
- Abbeylara, Longford Gun Club - EUR10,000
- Waterford Contract Bridge Centre - EUR70,000
- Castlepollard Tennis Club - EUR20,000
Without being disrespectful to the above, and indeed to the hundreds of GAA clubs that received grants over EUR100,000 or the several League of Ireland soccer clubs that received over EUR1,000,000 - those sports far outweigh ours in terms of participation and following - but EUR10,000 out of EUR76,000,000 is an insult to a sport with around 10,000 participants in the state.
Gone are the days obviously when a certain north Dublin cricket club opened its post one morning to discover an unasked-for National Lottery cheque for £15,000 and a congratulations note from the then minister, coincidentally the local TD.
But there's a general election in a matter of weeks and our sport has been badly done by. The votes of cricketers are widely dispersed, unfortunately, but there is one large concentration of players and clubs in that North Dublin constituency and it would be a useful exercise for the Irish Cricket Union to remind the authorities of that, and particularly the candidates in the looming election.