Footballer Troy Parrott Backs Campaign to Save Dublin Sports Pitch

Footballer Troy Parrott has given his backing to a campaign to save his former local sports pitch on Dublin’s Portland Row.

A new housing development is planned on teh space, known locally as the Strand.

Writing on social media, the Republic of Ireland star said the pitch was a “vital part of our community” and a “safe place for all to build friendships and practice our trade”.

The space is located near the Five Lamps, in an area now known as the ‘Golden Mile’, where some of the country’s moast successful sportspeople grew up.

They include boxer Kellie Harrington, Parrott and former Irish football internationals Wes Holohan and Olivia O’Toole – all said to have begun honing their skills on the pitch now earmarked for housing.

Earlier this month, planning permission was secured for a new 49-unit development which will be delivered by Tuath Housing and Dublin City Council.

In a statement, they said it represents a “meaningful step forward” for housing delivery in the north inner-city – a community, they said, which is one of the capital’s most acute areas of housing need.

Watch: ‘part of who we are’ – Kellie Harrington laments possible loss of pitch

They said while they acknowledge the concerns raised by the local community in relation to the playing field, it has to be balanced in the context of the urgent need to provide homes.

Local resident, double Olympic Gold Medal winner Kellie Harrington, is calling for the pitch to be retained. She said she uses it “once or twice” a week and regularly brings other teams down to train.

“It’s not just important, it’s vital to a community like this. If you just walk around here, we have so many concrete buildings going up day by day, and our space is getting smaller and smaller.

“For this particular area, it’s a well closed in space… We’re the ones who look after it.And if we lose that, we lose a part of who we are and what has helped to shape us as