GAELIC FOOTBALL We are now
vertidraining the new one more often. It is a hungry pitch needing higher instances of
”
fertiliser applications due to leaching and the demands of the grass plant
person to look after the pitches and the clubhouse, so I assumed the role of pitch maintenance and Nicky still looks after the buildings on site.”
“My full-time job is a greenkeeper at Royal County Down Golf Club in Newcastle. I have always had an interest in farming and accompanied my uncle Patrick McCartan during my spare time tending to his cattle and sheep.” “Patrick was vice chairman of Liatroim until his untimely death in 2010 and was always present around Fontenoy Park. Following Patrick’s passing, my farming neighbour Brian Malone took me under his wing and my love of farming continued.” “My father saw a news item on the local bulletin where it said that there was a shortage of young people in the horticultural industry and, in particular, in the sportsturf industry.”
“When I had to choose a work experience placement, I applied to one of the best golf courses in the world and I was accepted. I
The visiting Kildare manager complimented the club on the condition of the pitch and that there was probably no other club pitch in the country in as good a condition as Liatroim
” Declan Magee 64 PC December/January 2021 Tiarnach Magee
then took up a seasonal position in the summer of 2016 at RCD.”
“I loved the work and my plan was to go back to school and get my GCSEs and then apply to the College of Agriculture Food & Rural Enterprise at Greenmount to study greenkeeping. I successfully achieved my GCSEs and, in the summer of 2017, started working at RCD. I embarked on a modern apprentice scheme and attended Greenmount one day per week studying Level 2 Sportsturf which I successfully completed,” he said.
Tiarnach reports to the Liatroim Fontenoys
GAC committee and mostly to the current chairman Dan Morgan. As well as Declan, Tiarnach and Nicky, there are other volunteers who help out around the complex including Dan Morgan, Brian Malone, Noel Brown and Niall Brown.
Tiarnach said: “Noel, Niall and Brian provide larger machinery for any jobs that require it. Nicky looks after the clubrooms and Dan does whatever is needed from
helping to mow and marking out, on top of the demands of being chairman.” “We try to do as much as we can in-house and are in the middle of our autumn renovations, including scarifying our new sand-based pitch followed by an overseed.” The front original pitch has a soil-based profile which was laid around fifty-three years ago and opened in 1968. The new pitch is a sand-based one laid in the late spring of 2018 by McAvoy Construction of Banbridge. “We are learning that the new pitch, with
its excellent drainage capabilities, does not behave in the same manner as the old pitch,” said Tiarnach. “We are now vertidraining the new one more often. It is a hungry pitch needing higher instances of fertiliser applications due to leaching and the demands of the grass plant.” “The pitches are mainly for club use but, as is the case with most sports, the hosting of fixtures requiring a neutral venue is facilitated and our location in the centre of
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