Dublin and Kerry announce new ground development plans

Between them they’ve won nine of the last 10 All-Ireland football titles, and Dublin and Kerry have both announced new ground development plans to meet future needs of players and spectators.

After some outline plans elsewhere in the past, the Dublin county board has now been granted planning permission for the development of a €6.6 million centre of excellence on the grounds of the former Hollystown Golf Course on the Ratoath Road in north-west Dublin.

Dublin first acquired the 23-acre site at the end of 2020, previously owned by Cork businessman and Oliver Barry, and following the planning application have now received a 10-year permit to carry out major development work in the Dublin 15 area. The land was owned by Glenveagh Homes, the Dublin development to be used “as a training and playing facility for all Dublin teams and by Tyrrelstown GAA Club. The facilities will also be made available to the local community and schools.”

Described as “GAA cluster facility”, the plan is to lay four full-sized floodlit pitches, three of which will be sand-based, the other an all-weather playing surface. The former Hollystown clubhouse will also renovated and converted into dressing rooms, the first floor used for county offices and also as a team meeting space.

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In addition, a new two-storey extension of the clubhouse will facilitate six dressing rooms plus a strength and conditioning area. There will also be a separate indoor training facility comprising of a shorter indoor pitch area.

The plans also include a new spectator stand, which can accommodate up to 500 spectators, plus a five-metre high hurling wall. The entire perimeter of the 23-acre site will have a trail for walking and jogging, as well as an enclosed car park.

Dublin have invested in development sites before, namely the 35-acre Spawell site in Templeogue in south-west Dublin, at a cost of €9m, although nothing there has been yet pursued to the planning permission stage.

Meanwhile in Kerry, county board chairman Patrick O’Sullivan outlined plans for a new re-development at Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney, potentially costing up to €70m.

O’Sullivan told delegates at the Kerry county convention on Tuesday night the stadium required a “major refit”, and plans would be announced in January as to how exactly they would go about funding the project. Already, he said, several senior politicians had given it their backing.

“The stadium is regarded as home for the Kerry senior football team when the championship begins,” said O’Sullivan. “However, right now, the stadium needs a major refit, upgrading it to a multi-event centre to cater for the needs of the people of Kerry into the future.

“It needs to be modern and comfortable for our spectators, not only to enjoy big GAA games but also to entice some of the finest Irish and international entertainment acts to this county. To do that, the stadium has to be modernised and upgraded.

“Since I returned as chairman of Kerry GAA, we have met the current Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Sports Minister Jack Chambers and Minister for Education Norma Foley. These meetings were arranged by local TD Brendan Griffin.

“Brendan also arranged for Tánaiste Leo Varadkar to visit the stadium. All these meetings have been positive towards the planned project. Mr Varadkar spoke in the Dáil of his visit to the stadium and we also met Moira Murrell Chief Executive of Kerry County Council and updated the Council on our plans.

“Projected costing for the upgrading of the stadium is in the region of €72.5 million. In January, there will be a more detailed presentation on how we propose to fund the project.”

Addressing the controversial issue of the split season, and the playing of the All-Ireland final before the state of August, O’Sullivan suggested there may be a need to reconsider.

“There are mixed views on the split season, the players I spoke with are in favour of the split season, but it comes with its own problems.

“The lack of media attention for our national games after the intercounty season finishes in July is a concern, the national media just doesn’t have the same interest in club and county championships, while the difficulties in sourcing hotel accommodation and cost of the same in Dublin during the peak holiday season are issues for both the county boards and GAA supporters.

“The 2023 season will see group stages in the championship format while the league and provincial championship will also have a big impact on the championship. Games will come thick and fast, requiring larger panel sizes due to injuries and the quick turn-around of games… We will have to wait and see how the split season will work in 2023.”