All-Ireland League: One of the country's oldest clubs is poised for a multi-million euro windfall with Galwegians RFC expected to give the go ahead tonight for the €15 million sale of their grounds in Galway City.
A deal has been struck with a local property developer, and members of Galwegians are expected to give the green light to the sale of Crowley Park in Glenina on the east of the city at a special general meeting (sgm).
The club have decided to sell the near 10 acre site, their home since 1963, and move to a 30-acre greenfield site close to Galway Airport at Carnmore.
The club, founded in 1922 and the most successful in Connacht, fields 17 teams, from under-sevens to senior, and have produced several internationals, including Eric Elwood.
Like a lot of clubs around the country, Galwegians incurred substantial debt as they toyed with the professional era a decade ago, but by then a plan was being considered to sell their valuable site on the Dublin Road for housing.
Now the club have agreed to pay €6.525 million for a 30-acre site on the Monivea Road, where they hope to develop a facility which will include four full-size pitches, including a flood-lit main pitch, an all-weather training area and a clubhouse.
The club have up to 1,000 members, but only paid-up members will be allowed vote at tonight's sgm at Crowley Park, where it will require a two-thirds majority for the sale to go ahead.
The club have declined to comment on the proposed sale, but a club source indicated the sale was likely to receive sufficient support.
"A lot of people have ties with Crowley Park going back over the decades and it is not easy to walk away, but the general feeling is that a facility must be put in place which will allow the club to develop in the years ahead," he said.
The club developed the facility at Glenina in 1963 and named it Crowley Park in the mid-1980s in honour of their main driving force over the years, the late Chris Crowley, one of six Galwegians RFC members to have served as president of the IRFU.
