A top-class amenity area has been officially opened at the foothills of the Comeragh Mountains in rural County Waterford. The new Comeragh Amenity Area in Rathgormack includes an enclosed floodlit all-weather 4G astro turf games area approximately 70m long by 40m wide which will cater for a wide variety of sports and activities, a floodlit walking track and a fully landscaped recreational and outdoor entertainment area.
Aine Power and Katie Doyle, two of the musicians that played at the official opening.
It was officially opened on Saturday evening last, coinciding with the Comeraghs Wild Festival.
Members of the Rathgormack North Waterford Community Development Group embarked on an ambitious journey back in October 2013 when they set out their plans to develop a Multi-Use Games and Community Amenity Area on a site adjacent to the hugely popular Hiking Centre.
For many years, the Rathgormack Hiking & Hostel Centre has been a popular venue for scouting groups, hiking enthusiasts etc. and has been a base for a wide range of community groups and activities for children and adults of all ages.
Numerous fundraisers were staged to help make the community’s latest dream become a reality, including the hugely successful novelty Mayoral election in 2017 in which three candidates raised a total of €78,000. The project has also received support through Waterford Leader Partnership and, earlier this year, students from Kildaton College assisted with the completion of the amenity as part of their Personal Effectiveness module in the Level 5 Certificate in Agriculture course.With convenient access to the mountains, Rathgormack has now secured it’s claim as a gateway to the Comeraghs and to exploring surrounding natural features such as Crotty’s Lake, Coumshingaun, the Mahon Falls, and the Nire Valley.