Lions AFC has been chosen winners of the Laois County award in this year’s Texaco Support for Sport initiative.
€5,000 has been presented to the club to help fund a significant development of its facilities which include the construction of three full-size playing pitches and a small astro pitch.
Based in Durrow, but drawing membership from a number of different communities along the Laois/Kilkenny border, Lions AFC caters for over 300 members, spread across 15 schoolboy and schoolgirl teams and four adult teams.
Now in its fourth year, the Texaco Support for Sport initiative sees a fund of €130,000 set aside annually for allocation in equal amounts of €5,000 to successful applicants chosen on a county-by-county basis. P
revious Laois winners were Laois Cricket Club (2021), Portlaoise Panthers Basketball Club (2022) and Park/Ratheniska GAA Club (2023).
Congratulating the winners on what he termed ‘the invaluable contribution that sports clubs make to the heart of community life in Ireland’, James Twohig, Director of Ireland Operations, Valero Energy (Ireland) Limited praised the unstinting work of club officials and volunteers.
He said: “Since its inception, in excess of €500,000 has been distributed to a variety of more than 100 sports clubs under the Texaco Support for Sport initiative.”
Overseeing the judging process was Texaco Support for Sport ambassador, former Irish rugby international and well-known broadcaster, Donncha O’Callaghan.
Commenting, he said: “As adjudicator, the most heartening aspect of the Texaco Support for Sport initiative is the benefit it brings to Irish sports clubs by providing rare access to funds which are not linked to the popularity, membership size or success of any given club.”
Describing the Laois club as ‘a very deserved recipient’, he went on to add: “Lions AFC is an amazing club whose place in the community is vital for both young and old.
“The ability to provide 15 teams for boys, girls and adults shows the drive from everyone in the club to help each other out and I’m delighted to select this club as our Laois winner – go Lions, keep roaring.”
Entries for the 2025 Texaco Support for Sport initiative will open in the Autumn for all clubs, including those whose application may have been unsuccessful previously.
