Ross Fahey from Breaffy GAA Club with John Prenty, Connacht Council Secretary
By Cian Murphy
A seven-year-old GAA superfan who wrote and offered his birthday money to help repair the storm-damaged Dome in Bekan has been given a VIP tour of the facility.
Ross Fahey from Breaffy near Castlebar was upset when he learned of the devastation caused to the University of Galway Connacht GAA Air Dome at Bekan in Mayo during Storm Eowyn last January. A frequent visitor to the Dome for matches and due to get a school tour there later this year, he had been a big supporter of the iconic venue.
When he saw a report on the damage featuring a dejected Connacht Council secretary John Prenty, young Ross wrote to the Connacht chief to offer his help and even make his own birthday money available to help meet the restoration costs.
During the recent Electric Ireland GAA Higher Education Championship finals at Bekan, Ross was a guest of Connacht GAA where he got to discuss the design of the restored Dome with John Prenty.
You can watch the video of Ross meeting John and talking about the new Dome below.
Having survived all previous winter storms to have hit the region since it was officially opened in late 2020, Connacht chiefs were hopeful that they had amended air pressure sufficiently for Storm Eowyn and left the facility at 2.30am. However, just eight minutes later, disaster struck, and the Dome was destroyed, thankfully with no injuries to anyone - but still leaving Connacht GAA without the multi million euro jewel in their crown.
Among the massive outpouring of sympathy over their setback, Connacht boss Prenty received the striking and heartfelt letter and offer of support from Ross Fahey.
“It was a lovely letter to get from Ross and really touching to get from a child. He offered financial support and even a plan of what the Dome should look like. But then he is from a brilliant GAA family, so I was not that surprised that a Fahey sent me a letter like that,” said John.
After getting a tour of the cleaned up facility and an idea of how they plan to make the Dome hopefully stormproof in future, there were two big surprises left in store for Ross – an invitation for him and his Breaffy National School classmates to play at the Dome when it reopens but only after Ross himself is the main guest of honour who will officially cut the ribbon to mark the Connacht Dome V2 later this year.
Connacht CEO John Prenty and Ross Fahey from Breaffy