Last weekend marked a historic event in the history of Cullaun Sailing Club as club Commodore Des McMahon along with forty other members turned the sod on their new clubhouse at an opening ceremony after their spring regatta. There was a great air of excitement as this project has taken a while to get to this stage. The novel idea of having everyone turning the sod is that we are all equal as club members and this the way that we should start the same was as we would like to continue.
We are now looking forward to having our purpose built dressing rooms and training centre ready by the end of the summer. Long-term members and those new to the club were present for the momentous occasion including one of the founder members from 1979 Chris Davis and Mike Hogan, Stephen Walsh and from Clare Local Development Company and Olivia King from Kilkishen Development.
Cullaun Sailing Club has been working out of a portacabin for the last number of years. With the uptake in people eager to learn the sport of sailing it is no longer fit for purpose. The cost of the new building is more than two hundred thousand euro and partial funding has been secured from the Sports Capital Programme and Clare Local Development Company. Many club members have made personal donations and the club membership has been actively fundraising over the last year. Rose Hally of Community Finance Ireland has also been very supportive in arranging funding for the project.
In operation since 1979, Cullaun Sailing Club is situated between the villages of Kilkishen and Tulla and has an active membership of people from the Clare and Limerick region. They sail and race on a weekly basis and have been competing and winning in national events over the last few years.