Blessing of the new pitch

On Saturday, 8 February 2020 Bishop Noel Treanor blessed the new playing field at Davitt Park before an inter-county hurling game between Antrim and Tipperary for the Fr Reid Trophy.

Bishop Noel was accompanied by Rev Fr Tony Devlin, Parish Priest at St Paul’s in the Beechmount area. The Diocese of Down and Connor made the land available to Davitt’s GAC for the development of an outstanding sporting facility for the use of the GAA club and the local community, including schools and St Mary’s University College.

The Bishop greeted and welcomed all present including officers of the GAA and the two competing teams.

He said:

“I wish to congratulate all who have worked to make this wonderful pitch and Club Pavillion with its facilities possible. I thank them for their admirable achievement. I wish to thank them for their immense contribution to the formation of our youth. Two Sundays ago we celebrated the Sunday of the Word of God, at the suggestion of Pope Francis. The pages of the Bible make several references to sport — to boxing, wrestling, running. Athletics becomes a metaphor for the effort to live the Christian life in the writings of St Paul. As we bless this Davitt Park pitch, may it ever serve as a place where athletic prowess, personal development and well-being is fostered and the dignity of our children, adolescents and young women and men is protected and promoted. May Davitt’s GAC inspire all who work with the young people of its club and of this community.”

Professor Peter Finn, KSG, attended the opening ceremony with Bishop Noel and Father Tony, on behalf of St Mary’s University College. He said:

“The opening of Davitt Park was a wonderful community and sporting occasion. A crowd of three thousand people were treated to a very competitive game of hurling, played in a great spirit. At half-time young boys and girls were permitted on the new pitch to ‘puck-around’ on one of the best playing surfaces in Ulster. The atmosphere before, during and after the game was joyous. I see a great future for the partnership between the Diocese and the Davitt’s GAC in terms of the use that will be made of this wonderful new sporting facility.” He continued:

“Great credit must go to the Davitt’s GAC Chairman, Mr Tommy Shaw, (pictured second from the left in the main photograph), who had the vision and the enterprise to drive this project to such a successful conclusion”.

Photographs of the Antrim and Tipperary teams.