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06 Sept 2025

PICTURES: New season for Leitrim club Abbey Rovers as impressive growth continues

Reporter:

David Power

14 Sept 2024 4:17 PM

Another season begins this Saturday for Abbey Rovers , the club is growing at an unprecedented rate and we are very proud that we have registered 18 teams to take part in the league with over 300 children from all over the area as and from 16 countries registering with the club. Read more below...
USE THE ARROWS OR 'NEXT' TO BROWSE THROUGH THE FULL GALLERY
This year the club has added 4 new teams and what makes them even prouder is that they are able to give even more girls the opportunity to play sport. Three years ago the club started its first girls team, this year it is 6 teams - phenomenal growth. 
Growth also brings challenges, we have a small group of dedicated coaches and committee members  and we are delighted that new parents stepped forward to enable us to set up 5 new teams this year. 
The biggest challenges we face is with the weather and available facilities in Ballinamore. 
It is fantastic that we have the use of St Felims and are delighted to have the support of Ballinamore community council but the last number of years have seen unprecedented levels of rain which have left us on many occasions unable to train and play. 
The last two years we have supported Ballinamore Sean OHeslins in three applications for an Astro turf facility under the  communities integration fund as this is the best opportunity to get a much needed facility in place in the shortest possible time for the people of the area. 
Ballinamore Séan O’Heslins have been supportive of offering us the use of this facility if successful. 
As a club we were extremely disappointed that two of these applications have been declined and our hopeful that this third one will be approved as Ballinamore is the only region without one of these facilities and there is a substantial gap and a clear and present need. 
If a facility of this type is not available to the children of our region then having 300 players registered does not mean anything if they have no where to play for the vast majority of the season due to weather.
We call on Heather Humphrey’s, our elected TD’s, local representatives and Leitrim County Council to do what they can to support this application otherwise our phenomenal growth and sport through integration becomes nought due to facilities not being available. 
At the end of the day this facility can be delivered for 80% of the cost of a government bike shed ! What’s more important - our children or dry bikes 

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