Delay on lease for under-15 football club is an ‘embarrassment’
CK United ... no lease
THE delay in issuing a lease for Carlow Kilkenny Football Club, CK United, is an “embarrassment”.
The topic of the long-awaited lease for grounds at Castlemore was raised by cllr Will Paton at the July meeting of Tullow Municipal District.
“Why haven’t they gotten a lease? How long more do they have to wait? We need our kids actively involved in sports – where is the lease? I am shocked that the lease has not been issued. It’s extremely disappointing,” he said.
CK United was founded in 2017, when the Carlow & District Juveniles League and the Kilkenny District League joined together to enter an under-15 team in the League of Ireland Men’s Under 15 League.
Both counties saw this as an opportunity to allow young players to continue their football careers without having to travel to Dublin.
The club has been part of the National League since 2018, with teams now entered at under-14, 15, 17 and 19, and under-17 and 19 teams in the Women’s National Leagues.
A frustrated cllr Brian O’Donoghue said: “We keep being told it’s with the solicitor, it’s with the solicitor.
"We deliberated for the best part of a year. We couldn’t have been more careful and there is still no sign of the lease,” he said as he implored Carlow County Council director of services Michael Brennan to “take it on personally”.
Mr Brennan said it was the first time the matter had been brought to his attention. He said it was an issue for his colleagues in corporate services at the local authority and gave a commitment to bring it to their attention as a matter of urgency.
In conclusion, cllr Paton said the situation was an “embarrassment” and that it was his hope that “when we come to the next meeting, you’ll be able to tell us that the lease has been signed and the keys have been handed over.
"If this is not dealt with, I will consider it a failure”.
