Thousands of houses were built- but very few communities. New estates and young families were left to cope with out basic facilities, interms of schools, shops, transport
and sporting activities. The Meath East are a developed rapidly over those years.
Stretching from Gormanstown to Drogheda, it is home to some 40,000 people. It was left to community initiatives such as East Meath FC to fill the gap in amenities and services. Founded in 1999, the club quickly found itself struggling to cope with the high demand from families in its rapidly - growing catchment area.
In 2008, the club moved to a new site in Laytown as part of a complex deal with a developer that would see East Meath FC located at the heart of a planned ‘greenbelt’ of amenities for the area. They immediately invested some €80,000 developing new pitches to cater for a growing membership: some 20 teams and a 300 member academy for children aged 4-7 years of age.
Growing number shave led to greater success on the pitch, with East Meath FC now competing in five different leagues at all age levels. But despite the success, East Meath FC soon faced a threat to its very existence, when financial difficulties saw the developer seek repossession of the site in order to put it up for sale. That would have been disastrous for club and community and both responded to the challenge, moving to raise funds to purchase the site and ensure the future of East Meath over the longer-term.
Ultimately, crucial support to buy the site was secured from the FAI and from Clann Credo, with the club and its facilities delivering a major social and sporting gain for the communities of east Meath.
Location: Co. Meath
Website:
http://www.emu.ie/