FACILITIES

Club chairman Eamon Maguire offered the Derrygonnelly Harps committee a site of land in 1957 for the development of a playing pitch.

The proposed site was not enough for the erection of a full pitch so club member Joe Farrell made the decision to approach neighbour William Barton.

Following discussions, it was agreed that the Harps would secure the necessary land. Deeds for the property were transferred to the club in 1959.

Alongside the pitch, other developments took place at the club including two new dressing rooms and fencing around the complex.

Work commenced immediately on the site, which was named in honour of local priest Canon T Maguire, and the project was completed at the end of 1961.

It's estimated that the total capital spend for the development at Canon Maguire Park cost in the region of £5,000.

The pitch remained open until 1980 when Prunty Contracts was contracted by the club to provide a new sand carpet to the pitch.

It finally reopened in May 1983 with Fermanagh GAA County Chairman Joe McGurn, Fr Gallagher, Fr O'Reilly and Joe Prunty attending the ceremony.

While the pitch was closed, other work took place including an improvement to fencing, the development of a roadside wall and spectator banks.

The project cost around £40,000 in total. The club received financial support of £13,400 from the Department of Education.

The club took another major step in May 1986 with the development of a new dressing room complex, opened by Fermanagh GAA Chairman, John Vesey.

The project consisted of two dressing rooms with shower and toilet facilities, along with a boiler, store room and public toilets for supporters.

It's estimated that the project cost £50,000 with the Department for Education granting the club £19,000.

Meanwhile, in November 1988, the club developed two new dugouts at the main pitch at Canon Maguire Park.

In June 1991, a ball screen was erected at the dressing side of the main field.

With major success on the pitch in 1995, the year was also significant for development off the pitch as well.

The club became the first in Fermanagh to open a covered spectator stand. The major project at Canon Maguire Park cost around £23,000.

The Foundation for Sports and the Arts granted the club £25,000 which was used towards the stand, the dugouts and the ball screen.

In the same year, a manual scoreboard was erected at the bottom end of the main playing pitch. It still remains in operation today.

The club purchased a five-acre plot of land adjacent to the main pitch at Canon Maguire Park in 1998.

After successful planning permission and a Sports Council NI Lottery Fund grant, work began on the new pitch in 2000.

Local company Gerard Love Contracts began initial work on the pitch, including the removal of rock.

Prunty Contracts commenced the laying of sand and grass seed was sown on the ground in September 2001.

Goalposts and ball stops were erected onto the new pitch in early 2003, with two dugouts added in 2004. Floodlights were added later that year.

The overall cost of the project was in the region of £320,000. The Sports Council NI Lottery Fund grant was £93,000.