St Joseph’s GAA club in Ederney has been transformed into a modern state of the art sporting facility as part of the new £1 million North Fermanagh Valley Park. 

The centrepiece of the development is a 200 seater stand. This incorporates and extensively enhances the existing changing rooms while it has a function room which doubles as an indoor spectator area.

The GAA ground has also been expanded to include a community gym, mountain bike track and walking trails.

One local noted that the opening of the new park was ‘a very emotional but proud day’ for the community.’

 In Kesh, a new sports development includes a new running track and also a space for public events across the two villages of Ederney and Kesh.

The new Park which was launched last Friday has been a long time coming for community groups in Kesh and Ederney who have been working for years to get the project in place. 

Sean Donnelly representing the North Fermanagh Valley Park Group said, “We are delighted to finally be able to bring the project to fruition and can really see the benefit of two communities coming together in a shared space in both villages. Cross community working is now embedded in our community and this project has made this possible by helping lay the foundations for us to build on,” said Sean.

A programme of activities to help embed shared working and to enhance connectivity between the villages is also planned, whilst the new park is set to enhance the tourist offering in the area with greater accessibility to leisure facilities for people living in West Tyrone and Donegal.

Speaking at the official opening last Friday, vice-chairman of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Councillor John Feely, said, “The project will deliver so much for those living in the area with the development of new community facilities in both villages and relations between the neighbouring communities.

 The official opening of the North Fermanagh Valley Park is a great example of what can be achieved by working in partnership and I would like to commend all those involved in the project,” said Cllr Feely.

While the communities celebrated a new beginning, tributes were also paid at the launch event to contractor Barry McQuaid who sadly passed away during construction of the project earlier this year in February.