Taoiseach to attend opening of Gda Horkan memorial pitch

A new state-of-the-art GAA pitch and walkways in memory of Detective Garda Colm Horkan is to be officially opened in Co Mayo.

The all-weather and flood-lit playing park will be the third pitch located at Charlestown Sarsfields GAA Club.

Taoiseach Simon Harris will be joined by the Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, Minister of State Dara Calleary and Garda Commissioner Drew Harris for the event.

The official ribbon-cutting ceremony is due to take place at 1pm.

The new ‘Colm Horkan Memorial Pitch and Community Walkways’ is being opened ahead of the fourth anniversary of his death.

The 49-year-old was murdered in the line of duty during an incident in Castlerea, Co Roscommon shortly before midnight on 17 June 2020.

He was a Charlestown native and a member and former player with Charlestown Sarsfields.

In May 2022, the sod was turned on the €1.5 million development by his father Marty Horkan and the then minister for sport Jack Chambers.

The new facilities have been described as a huge asset to the local community and beyond, which will be enjoyed by generations to come.

The club said the development in Colm Horkan’s honour will be “a fitting legacy for the great man”.

Proceedings will get under way at 11am with matches involving the club’s Under 8 and Under 12 boys and girls teams on the main pitch at Fr O’Hara Park.

The official ceremony will then be followed by the first game to take place on the new playing field.

An exhibition game will be played between a Charlestown Sarsfields Masters selection and “a star-studded” All-Ireland masters selection from counties and clubs across Ireland.

The local team will include many of Colm Horkan’s former teammates and friends.

The Charlestown Sarsfields senior ladies’ team will then play an exhibition game against the Templemore College Garda team and the club’s current senior men’s team will also face a representative team from An Garda Síochána.

The club said the project, which has taken over three years to complete, has attracted support from around the world “in memory of our late friend and clubmate”.

It also involved several fundraising events including the Annual Colm Horkan Memorial Run and the Colm Horkan Memorial Golf Classic.

Funding was also received through the Government’s Sports Capital Programme and other funding programmes.

The club said the development of a third playing pitch will “cater for the demands of our increasing numbers” and will provide the club with “a new state of the art, all weather, fully floodlit, playing pitch with surrounding walkways”.

The Chairman of Charlestown Sarsfields GAA Club and Colm Horkan Memorial Pitch Committee said it will be “both an emotional and very proud day” for the club and community.

Liam Breheny said Colm Hokan “touched the lives of many in the communities of Charlestown and beyond, with dignity and regalness characterising his every action and deed”.

He said his cousin “loved his town and this was the place where many great friendships and bonds were moulded”.

“Colm loved his football and served Charlestown Sarsfields with distinction over the course of a long, stellar, and star-studded career,” he added.

Mr Breheny said Mr Horkan “donned the green and white jersey with honour and excellence and Fr O’Hara Park took centre stage in many of our finest successes in a career that saw him reach some marvellous heights”.

The club currently provides football and coaching for over 200 boys and girls from Under 6 up to Under 18, in addition to its Under 21, Junior and Senior teams.

The new community walkways will be constructed around the perimeter of the three pitches, public lighting located throughout.

The club said the walkways will be available for “the whole community to enjoy, providing a safe environment for both walking and running purposes for all the family”.