Liam Coyne

He is opposed to the site earmarked by locals being used for any other purpose including as a depot by Dublin City Council.

Liam said he delighted to support the campaign to have a pitch build at the site at Marrowbone Lane, close to St Catherine’s,

Local clubs in the areas have banded together to form the Sporting Liberties Campaign to secure the new facilities, and Liam has given his 100 per cent backing to the initiative.

Liam says the playing field is something that is very much needed in the South inner city, particularly for young people.  He has called on Dublin City Council to facilitate the development of the pitch so it can be made a centerpiece for the local community.

Developing a multipurpose outdoor sports playing field at Marrowbone Lane near St Catherine’s is “a no brainer” as far as Liam is concerned.

People in the locality are concerned the site will end up being used as a depot by Dublin City Council. Liam is vehemently opposed to that suggestion, and says he is prepared to support locals any way he can.

“Ultimately it is up to yourselves to convince DCC that this site should be developed as a sports facility,” he said. “If those involved in the campaign are prepared to go down and lie on that ground (the site where they want the pitch to be built) until Dublin City Council commits to building the pitch, then I will go out and lie down with ye,” he said.

Liam was speaking at a public meeting at the St Catherine’s on Tuesday night at the Sports Centre, which was attended by other candidates in this month’s general election.

Liam has “no doubt” that new pitches would have a much needed and long term positive impact on the area. ” The benefits are there to be seen, in terms of physical and mental health.

“It is a project that should be completed as soon as possible,” said Liam.  He knows only too well about the benefits that can flow from having facilities such as the playing field alongside the existing facilities at St Catherine’s.

“Playing sports especially Gaelic football opened a lot of doors for me when I had to emigrate to Boston in search of work,” he said.

“The are clear health benefits derived from playing sports,” he added.

The pitch will offer people a chance to get involved in something positive and real. The proposed pitch ties in with the Social Democrat’s key policies concerning the proper development of areas constantly forgotten by both national and local government.