Petition to save pitch at Mayo girls school

A PETITION has been launched to save a pitch used by local sports clubs and students at the Sacred Heart Secondary School in Westport.

The Department of Education has been urged to reverse their decision to use the area as the location for new prefab classrooms.

Nearly 800 people have signed the online petition. You can show your support here: https://www.change.org/p/department-of-education-save-our-girl-s-school-pitch.

The Westport LGFC appeal page outlines: 'The Department of Education have decided to place prefab classrooms on the sports pitch in the Sacred Heart School in Westport.

'This is not a school decision, it has been made by the Department of Education.

'We completely understand the school requires two new classrooms and the prefabs are badly needed but we also believe there are alternative areas, within the school grounds, in which the prefab classrooms could be placed.

'Placing the prefabs on the pitch will render the pitch unusable for the many school sports teams such as Gaelic, soccer, cross country running and camogie.

'It will also no longer be available for other school PE activities such as orienteering, etc.

'We believe the decision to close the school pitch will be detrimental to the girls wellbeing in many ways.

'The girls need access to their sports pitch for exercise which is so important to their physical and mental health.

'We also believe that closing the girls pitch sends a very poor message that girls sport isn't important.

'There are currently two Sacred Heart School Gaelic teams in All-Ireland semi-finals and they now have no pitch to train on.

'This decision is being rushed in without any thought for the girls wellbeing.

'The decision will also have a knock on effect on the wider community as it is used as a training ground for Westport LGFC Under 6, Under 8, Under 10 and Under 12 girls teams. As it stands these girls will have no pitch to play their matches as the GAA grounds pitch schedule is already booked up with the various other GAA teams.

'Westport LGFC are extremely grateful to the Sacred Heart School for allowing the girls use the pitch for the last number of years. It has been a vital asset to Westport LGFC, providing access to football for so many young girls, and it would be a huge loss to the club and community if it is no longer available'.