Groundhopping Dublin - Old Stadia

**Gerrit** · 16/01/2006, 6:50 PM

End January I'm back in Dublin for a day (Bauhaus concert) and would like to do some more groundhopping. As I've already seen all Dublin senior clubs' grounds, I have to focus on others.

I read somewhere that St James Gate and St Frances used to have their own grounds, and that for a while St Pats also used a different ground before moving to Richmond Park.
Do any of these 3 grounds still exist? Where are/were they located?

And are there any amateur teams that have a ground worth visiting? (and are not far out of the city centre)

**iceman** · 16/01/2006, 7:21 PM

St James Gate used to play at the Iveagh Grounds in Crumlin - easy to find , not far from Crumlin Shopping Centre.
You could always take a trip to Drogheda and take in United Park

**soccerc** · 16/01/2006, 8:19 PM

St Francis ground, John Hyland Park is still in use by the club, am there at least once a week. Not very accessible. Nearest public transport is 69 bus as far as Kingswood Cross ( It doesn't exist any more) Then its a good 10 minute walk.

The Iveagh Grounds in Crumlin are served by plenty of busses with the 77's being most frequest.

**TonyD** · 16/01/2006, 8:31 PM

The ground you refer to Pats using is Harolds Cross Greyhound Stadium, where they relocated in the late eighties-early nineties while Richmond Park was being redeveloped. As a Shels fan you'll be interested to know that they also played there for a few years.

**A face** · 17/01/2006, 2:38 AM

Originally Posted by soccerc

St Francis ground, John Hyland Park is still in use by the club, am there at least once a week. Not very accessible. Nearest public transport is 69 bus as far as Kingswood Cross ( It doesn't exist any more) Then its a good 10 minute walk.

Seen photos and it was it perfect condition, billiard table type condition ... is it still the same ??

**Dodge** · 17/01/2006, 9:28 AM

Pats have also played in Chapelizod Greyhound stadium and Milltown (both of which are no longer there)

And Shels played in Harolds Cross a lot longer than Pats

**anto eile** · 17/01/2006, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by Gerrit

End January I'm back in Dublin for a day (Bauhaus concert) and would like to do some more groundhopping. As I've already seen all Dublin senior clubs' grounds, I have to focus on others.

I read somewhere that St James Gate and St Frances used to have their own grounds, and that for a while St Pats also used a different ground before moving to Richmond Park.
Do any of these 3 grounds still exist? Where are/were they located?

And are there any amateur teams that have a ground worth visiting? (and are not far out of the city centre)

take a trip to Milltown, at Glenmalure Square theres a monument to the old Glenmalure Stadium,or Milltown as the stadium was more commonly referred to. if you're groundhopping its worth seeing and taking a photo for souvenir/interest/history reasons

harolds cross has been modernised recently.its good for greyhound racing but would be horrible for football.

likewise shelbourne park, shels used to play there years ago.its now a very nice greyhound stadium,but would be horrible to watch football in. incidentally, in the 1950's Rovers' chairman Joe Cunningham offered shels an interest-free loan in order to purchase shelbourne park.shels declined.

baldonnell, home of st francis, is a pitch with a wall around it.brutal "stadium"

whitehall,same as baldonnell.a decent amateur ground for home farm, but crap for senior football.

afaik out in the jobstown/tallaght area wayside celtic have their home ground.there are turnstiles there so,on that logic, it must have decent enough facilities for an amateur team.if im correct it has an old turnstile from Milltown too.

**Schumi** · 17/01/2006, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Pats have also played in... Milltown

Didn't know that. When was this?

**NY Hoop** · 17/01/2006, 1:02 PM

Originally Posted by Schumi

Didn't know that. When was this?

When they got senior status in 1951 they played out of Milltown for 5 years.

KOH

**hamish** · 17/01/2006, 5:48 PM

What happened to Lourdes Stadium in Drogheda? Is it still there?

**Dodge** · 17/01/2006, 6:27 PM

Yeah, right beside united Park

**hamish** · 17/01/2006, 7:13 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Yeah, right beside united Park

Jaysus, have been to both grounds but didn't realise they were near each other,

Is Lourdes Stadium still used for football? Who plays there? Wasn't it a dog track too? Last time I was in LS was in 1978 TBH.

**Gerrit** · 17/01/2006, 7:15 PM

Thanks for the info, lads! It seems that, although at some of them only other sports are played nowadays, most of these old grounds still exist. Nice!

I have been at all 5 major clubs' stadiums (Belfield, Dalymount, Richmond, Tolka, new Tallaght site) + I have been at Whitehall and Terenure CYM. I also passed the ground of an amateur team in a neighbouring town of Tallaght, but I'm not sure of the name. Oh yeah, and in Ballymount-Walkinstown there's the big park along the main road, opposite a gas station just before entering Tallaght ; this park is used by several LSL clubs so I also count it as a valid ground for my collection.

That's what I've seen yet in Dublin. Lot of LSL grounds left to hop, plus some of these older ones that are still there.

And Lourdes Park right next to United Park ?

I have been in Drogheda two times to see Shels playing Drogheda, and I did not see another ground next to United Park.

**hamish** · 17/01/2006, 7:55 PM

Originally Posted by Gerrit

And Lourdes Park right next to United Park ?

I have been in Drogheda two times to see Shels playing Drogheda, and I did not see another ground next to United Park.

TBH Gerrit, I have a terrible sense of direction and Lourdes Stadium could be in the centre circle of United Park and I'd miss it.

If reincarnation really exists I know I won't come back as a homing pigeon.

**Snoop Drog** · 17/01/2006, 8:11 PM

Originally Posted by Gerrit

And Lourdes Park right next to United Park ?

I have been in Drogheda two times to see Shels playing Drogheda, and I did not see another ground next to United Park.

Lourdes Stadium is less than a 5 minute walk away- down Cross Lane, opposite the hospital. I haven't been there for years but I am sure the old "stand" is still there.

**iceman** · 17/01/2006, 9:24 PM

Lourdes Stadium is still used for football - shared by two clubs , Northside Blues and St Laurences Gate who play in the Meath and District league. Pitch is still in perfect condition , although the stand is falling down. Drogheda Borough Council recently announced plans to modernise the stadium , in particular lay a running track. Dont think it will ever be used by Drogs again as they plan moving to a new state-of-art ground beside the motorway for the 2007 season.

**paudie** · 23/01/2006, 1:22 PM

Don't forget the RDS in Ballsbridge.

Shamrock Rovers played there for a few seasons in the 90's and I think they won their last league there.

Has a great place in my memory as Cork City beat Shels 3-2 there in 1993 in the decisive game of the league playoff saga with Shels and Bohs.

Now being used by Leinster Rugby team for Celtic league games.

**NY Hoop** · 23/01/2006, 1:36 PM

Originally Posted by paudie

Don't forget the RDS in Ballsbridge.

Shamrock Rovers played there for a few seasons in the 90's and I think they won their last league there.

Has a great place in my memory as Cork City beat Shels 3-2 there in 1993 in the decisive game of the league playoff saga with Shels and Bohs.

Now being used by Leinster Rugby team for Celtic league games.

We played there from September 1990 (opening game drew 20,000) to April 1996. Won the league there in 1994.

Re Leinster not too many complaints about playing there now as other teams whinged when we played there.

KOH

**Gerrit** · 23/01/2006, 7:05 PM

Whereabouts near the RDS is the soccer ground? I was at the RDS for the Iron Maiden concert last year, but saw nothing but horse-racing tracks/greyhound tracks.

**anto eile** · 23/01/2006, 7:52 PM

the pitch was where the horses run around for showjumping. there was another stand there at the time,but has since been demolished.
to be pedantic the crowd v pats was 22300 afaik. after a 0-0 bore-fest, the following week there were 12000-13000 at Rovers next game