Supports urged for soccer club in new Butts plan in Kilkenny

Councillors have called for more supports to be put in place for St Canice’s Soccer Club at a recent meeting of the Kilkenny City Municipal District.

Cllr Andrew McGuinness raised the matter following an update on the Butts Regeneration Plan and said that helping the community with their social enterprise was ‘of vital importance’.

“St Canice’s Soccer Club is under immense pressure to stay going and they need to be supported properly. They don’t have changing facilities and they also need to know the future of the pitch at the Waterbarracks. Helping the local community with social infrastructure is of vital importance,” he said.

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Cllr Joe Malone said that St Canice’s SC need ‘proper facilities’.

“They have gone from the fourth division to the top division,” he said.

Cllr Eugene McGuinness said that ‘community spirit is built up around St Canice’s SC’, adding that discussions needed to take place.

Cllr John Coonan also supported the sentiments raised.

“We need to focus on sport, it is at the heart of community, we need to advance and support all the amenities in the locality,” he added.

Cllr David Fitzgerald remarked that the council should engage with the O’Neill Centre about the possibility of moving to a new site.

Director of Services, Mary Mulholland said that she acknowledged that St Canices SC needed to make more space and that more also needed to be done to support the arts in the area adding that she would engage with the relevant clubs and groups.

Director of Services, Tim Butler added that he would meet with representatives from St Canice’s SC and include them in the process. The residents of the Butts along with the relevant stakeholders and agencies will form an integral part of the Butts Regeneration Plan.

Director of Housing, Mary Mullholland told members of the Kilkenny City Municipal District meeting that all residents in the area will be surveyed as part of the process and that there will be engagement will all the stakeholders.
Kilkenny County Council, local clubs and societies, the family resource centre, residents representatives and other relevant agencies will also be part of a task force which will be set up to implement the plan.