Pictured at the contract signing for the development of two new full-sized sand based pitches at Mullingar Shamrocks GAA; Colin Delaney of Midland Sports Surfaces, with members of the club’s Development Committee (from left) Owen Moran, Aidan O’Donoghue, David Nohilly, Colin Delaney, Garrett Doyle and David Bell. Development is due to commence next month and pitches are expected to be available for games and training in early 2028.

Mullingar Shamrocks GAA sign contracts for new pitches

Published: Sun 2 Aug 2026, 1:00 PM

A collaboration involving a local sports club and two local firms is mutually beneficial and will have a long term gain for the community.

It involves moving a sizeable amount of excavated material from the Andrews Construction Petitswood Hill development on the Dublin Road, Mullingar to the new Mullingar Shamrocks GAA Club playing pitches at Robinstown; and this week the club signed a contract with Midland Sports Surfaces.

Shamrocks chairperson David Nohilly said the current stage is preliminary work on the new pitches. “It’s an arrangement we agreed with Andrews about eight weeks ago, and the next step is work on the pitches.” Development is due to commence next month and pitches to be available for games and training in early 2028, David added.

“Andrews hope to be finished within weeks and then the grounds will be given back to us. It’s mutually beneficial for Mullingar Shamrocks and Andrews Construction – we’re serving a purpose for them, we need the area [for the new pitches] filled – so timing is everything. We were in the right place at the right time, Andrews were starting their development, so it was fortunate for both sides.”

David and colleagues on the Shamrocks Development Committee are also delighted to be working with another local business, Colin Delaney and Midland Sports Surfaces, who are based in Killucan.

Shamrocks fundraising

Fundraising for the works at Shamrocks is ongoing and an important part of it is their Development Draw, which has a top prize of a Kia EV2 Air.

In 2024, Shamrocks purchased 20 acres of land in Robinstown adjoining their grounds in Springfield and that marked the start of ambitious plans to construct three new playing pitches and new changing facilities. In early 2025, the €500,000 payment made for the land was possible thanks to the generosity of members and the community who made donations, and some borrowings.

Since then the club have received full planning permission for the new development.

All funds raised in the Mullingar Shamrocks Development Draw will be used to build the pitches and facilities and provide outdoor recreation space for the whole community.

The new development will also provide new access to the club grounds from the Robinstown link road, including a link to the existing Active Travel network. There will be parking and an extended walkway along the Brosna River.

David concluded that the arrangement with Andrews and Midland Sports Surfaces is positive, because it’s local institutions working together and the eventual outcome will be for the good of the whole community. “As we said to Andrews, we’re building facilities for people who are buying the houses they are building.”

The draw for the Kia EV2 is in early January and tickets are on sale from club members and via their website.