Colemanstown United soccer club hold the official opening of their new clubhouse, stand and facilities on Saturday with great festivities planned for all age groups over the weekend. The legendary former Irish International Pakie Bonner will cut the tape at 2pm on Saturday.
The weekend kicks off with Progressive 25 in Burkes, Colemantown at 9pm Friday and on Saturday the festivities continue with underage boys and girls matches at 11.30 am followed by Colemanstown Veterans vs. Huddersfield (Amateur) veterans. Throughout the day there will be lots of fun activities including bouncing castles, face painting, BBQ etc.
The Club has come a long way since its formation in 1982 when they were lucky enough to share a field with Frank Burke’s Shop! Looking back it’s hard to believe that 25 years ago such primitive conditions existed for players; a mobile home utilised as a changing room lighted by means of a paraffin lamp, was dismantled in a storm. No sanitary facilities existed back then except the biggest bush that could be found and it seemed the Club moved into luxurious accommodation when what is referred to as the ‘shack’ was constructed in the mid ‘90s!
Due to the generosity of the Burke Family and the vision of Gerry Moran who established a Committee who have spent the last number of years fundraising and planning to acquire the state of the art facilities at the grounds which can now be seen today. The Club wish to thank commercial enterprises, FÁS, The National Lottery, and all their supporters who have helped them achieve their ambition. They have thanked all their supporters over the past 25 years for their unfailing generosity and the invaluable assistance that was given to them throughout their many fundraising events.
The Club is now one of the few totally voluntary run clubs who can boast of a playing pitch with an adjacent floodlit training pitch, shower rooms, meeting rooms, 200 seater stadium and has ample opportunity for further development in years to come. Currently the club caters for approx. 150 members, the majority of whom are underage players with the youngest being under 8’s. Celebrations will close on Saturday night in the Raheen Woods Hotel, Athenry when the club celebrate their 25th anniversary at their Annual Social.
Taken from The Connacht Tribune.