Saga ends for Ballincollig AFC

The soccer club kicked off the week with great news after it was agreed to hand over land to them, ending a long running saga. Known as the Landing Field, it was agreed during Monday’s Cork City Council meeting that the 2.83 hectares would be disposed of to the club by way of a sporting lease.

Cork City Council acquired these lands from Cork County Council when the city’s boundary extension took place in summer 2019. Historically, these lands were held by the Minister for Defence and were transferred to Cork County Council in 2006 with a condition of sale set out by the Chief State Solicitor’s Office, in the transfer, that the lands be transferred to Ballincollig AFC CLG for recreational and sporting purposes.

This onward transfer was affirmed by Cork County Council but was never executed and it fell to Cork City Council to complete the transaction.

In a document given to city councillors, Cork City Council’s chief Executive Ann Doherty said: “It is considered necessary to dispose of the land by way of lease at a nominal rent as these lands were always agreed to be transferred to Ballincollig AFC since the original transfer of the land from the Minister of Defence to Cork County Council. The lands are to be used for the purposes of the development and provision of sporting pitches and ancillary facilities for amateur soccer training and matches, and no commercial activities are allowable unless wholly for the support of running the soccer club.”

Fianna Fáil Cllr Colm Kelleher (Fianna Fáil) and Fine Gael councillors Derry Canty and Garett Kelleher all welcomed the news which means the club, once the deeds are transferred, can apply for grants. The club was not in a position to apply for grants as they did not have the deeds. Ballincollig AFC was founded in 1974 and has produced some talented players since then including the late Liam Miller.