Stadium Updates (All Clubs)

[Nesta99]

Stuart Byrne in his column in Irish Mirror today said that Tolka Park held 10k regularly when all 4 stands were open. Would that ever happen again I wonder?

It did, or close enough to it when all 4 sides of the ground were fully open. I would say the Ballybough End being restricted had the biggest impact on reducing numbers, maybe the wings/back of the Riverside Stand too. Cup finals and European games, the odd international certainly were in an around the 10k. Bohs v Aberdeen was full but it was properly rammed during the 2002 FAI Cup final, hard to imagine additional 5k or whatever would have been at internationals though the Drumcondra end was mainly just the new stand in my days so maybe there was an old terrace there at some point. Here's some 'old' footage that feels like yesterday when it held about twice what is allowed now, particularly the Ballybough End, one of the best atmospheres Ive experienced at a football match and not enclosed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLmkFY-2Uu0

*Is that a poor copy that was uploaded or did we really see the world on TV as if we were all severely short sighted???

[2 Year Contract]

It did, or close enough to it when all 4 sides of the ground were fully open. I would say the Ballybough End being restricted had the biggest impact on reducing numbers, maybe the wings/back of the Riverside Stand too. Cup finals and European games, the odd international certainly were in an around the 10k. Bohs v Aberdeen was full but it was properly rammed during the 2002 FAI Cup final, hard to imagine additional 5k or whatever would have been at internationals though the Drumcondra end was mainly just the new stand in my days so maybe there was an old terrace there at some point. Here's some 'old' footage that feels like yesterday when it held about twice what is allowed now, particularly the Ballybough End, one of the best atmospheres Ive experienced at a football match and not enclosed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLmkFY-2Uu0

*Is that a poor copy that was uploaded or did we really see the world on TV as if we were all severely short sighted???


There was indeed a terrace of sorts there in the past, you can see it in the below clip of Pats vs Hearts in 1988

https://youtu.be/V-JWytojpgE?si=0qomxPRvGCasTy5a

[EatYerGreens]

Its called a Belfast Roof and it could even be a protected structure depending on when it was installed. I think Ealing Green posted pics of old stadia sith similar structures in football grounds a while back.

Is it not officially know as a barrel-roof - with the Belfast alternative being a column-less structure to span much wider/deeper structures, with the roof having a shallower pitch??

Isn't the main stand in Finn Park also a barrel roof?

[Nesta99]

You may be right EYG. Regardless Ive always seen it as looking cheap and barn like and not antiquated in a nice, quaint way, but it was suggested that it isnt just a case of money and reroofing or demolishing and a new stand built, that there may be some retention order.

[redobit]

Barrel roof supported by Belfast trusses.

[fionnsci]

From memory, if you're sitting in the Drumcondra end, your view of the near left-hand corner of the pitch is restricted by the wall of the stand. Will this be addressed, e.g. making it see-through or angled?

[nr637]

Was it confirmed by Shels recently that the Ballybough End stand will reopen for the 2026 season with over 800 new seats, increasing the Tolka Park capacity to approximately 6,500.

[LTFC]

Might be in teh wrong place , but 3.5m for academies being announced in budget. A bit below what FAI hoped for but getting it into budget is a start.

[culloty82]

And €175k each may be chickenfeed to the likes of Rovers and Bohs, but will made a sizeable difference to First Division clubs.

[LTFC]

And €175k each may be chickenfeed to the likes of Rovers and Bohs, but will made a sizeable difference to First Division clubs.

Between 26 clubs so more likely 120-130k per club, but as you say massive for the smaller clubs.

[Nesta99]

Might be in teh wrong place , but 3.5m for academies being announced in budget. A bit below what FAI hoped for but getting it into budget is a start.

I think what is key in the announcement is the 'multi-year' investment. That's old code for we'll see how you go initially. Keep the noses clean and if the economy stays on the rails the figures will probably grow. Its also interesting that the funding is being provised through Sports Ireland rather than to the FAI, that is a snub and indicates a damaged rep that is still a long way off being repaired.

It may not seem fair to clubs with established academies and clubs that are already investing heavily but a flat amount for each club does help level the playingfield for the sport a bit, rather than associating with size and numbers. Its swings and roundabouts though where some clubs have had, for example, grants provided or directly or indirectly stadium development funding. All in all this announcement being the flagship sporting investment announcement and it for LoI is very significant. The additional secondary announcement of a fund fo intercounty GAA players was nearly pointed in a peicemeal makeweight that other sports are usually on the end of. Its a seachange, bring it on and dont fook it up!!

[LTFC]

I think what is key in the announcement is the 'multi-year' investment. That's old code for we'll see how you go initially. Keep the noses clean and if the economy stays on the rails the figures will probably grow. Its also interesting that the funding is being provised through Sports Ireland rather than to the FAI, that is a snub and indicates a damaged rep that is still a long way off being repaired.

It may not seem fair to clubs with established academies and clubs that are already investing heavily but a flat amount for each club does help level the playingfield for the sport a bit, rather than associating with size and numbers. Its swings and roundabouts though where some clubs have had, for example, grants provided or directly or indirectly stadium development funding. All in all this announcement being the flagship sporting investment announcement and it for LoI is very significant. The additional secondary announcement of a fund fo intercounty GAA players was nearly pointed in a peicemeal makeweight that other sports are usually on the end of. Its a seachange, bring it on and dont fook it up!!

Good points Nesta. I do hope that our smaller clubs get a fair share of this and that we employ people to develop our academies, and not a player who happens to be contracted to the club!!

Facilities is another area we are miles behind other codes. Have any of our clubs both a ground and decent training facilities of their own?

[Buckett]

Facilities is another area we are miles behind other codes. Have any of our clubs both a ground and decent training facilities of their own?

GUFC recently signed a long-term lease on Eamonn Deacy Park and have a planning application in for a training ground near Athenry in partnership with Connacht Hockey on land donated to the club by the Comers

[sbgawa]

everything i hear about the Comers i like, even up here in the big smoke the moves they are making and investment in Palmerstoen Golf Club....thye just seem to do everything right

[redarmyfaction]

everything i hear about the Comers i like, even up here in the big smoke the moves they are making and investment in Palmerstoen Golf Club....thye just seem to do everything right
Tell that to the people of Ballisodare, Co. Sligo, they own the notorious Mill Falls apartments there which they are happy to see fall into the river.

[Nesta99]

Mixed reports on the development but maybe there are specific issues that are not widely reported. Complaints like 'thin walls' between apartments but thats apartment living! 210k for a duplex unit, they couldnt sell them if they were falling in to the river no?
Developers are cutthroat so not saying there are not issues, just not big red flag headlines like pyrite madness, or the breach of fire regs as one Dundalk development. The Comers by and large, certainly at face value, seem to be sensible in their substantial funding and support of Galway fc and the above example is the frst ive heard of one of their developments being an issue.

[fionnsci]

Department of Sport saying that budget contains "an increase in support for the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund". If I remember correctly, this is the scheme under which Bohs and Sligo (and others for lesser amounts) have been allocated funding already. Drogheda were placing themselves as top of the queue for their new ground after missing out the last time.

https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-culture-communications-and-sport/press-releases/ministers-odonovan-and-mcconalogue-announce-details-of-budget-2026-for-the-department-of-culture-communications-and-sport/

[redarmyfaction]

I think what is key in the announcement is the 'multi-year' investment. That's old code for we'll see how you go initially. Keep the noses clean and if the economy stays on the rails the figures will probably grow. Its also interesting that the funding is being provised through Sports Ireland rather than to the FAI, that is a snub and indicates a damaged rep that is still a long way off being repaired.

It may not seem fair to clubs with established academies and clubs that are already investing heavily but a flat amount for each club does help level the playingfield for the sport a bit, rather than associating with size and numbers. Its swings and roundabouts though where some clubs have had, for example, grants provided or directly or indirectly stadium development funding. All in all this announcement being the flagship sporting investment announcement and it for LoI is very significant. The additional secondary announcement of a fund fo intercounty GAA players was nearly pointed in a peicemeal makeweight that other sports are usually on the end of. Its a seachange, bring it on and dont fook it up!!

They bought it as a distressed asset and then distressed it some more it's a hazardous eyesore and they couldn't give a flying one.

[Buckett]

They bought it as a distressed asset and then distressed it some more it's a hazardous eyesore and they couldn't give a flying one.
Yes, and similar properties in dozens of cities around Europe. They sit on these until they decide to sell, always at the right time. Being doing it since the late 80's. But as long as they keep donating money to Irish sport I'll be happy!

[Nesta99]

They bought it as a distressed asset and then distressed it some more it's a hazardous eyesore and they couldn't give a flying one.

I dont know the place but an eyesore can be subjective, the shopping centre in Phibsborough is a brutalist landmark to some and pure eyesore to others, maybe even has preservation order on it. Hazardous is a different story but there are properties for sale there? I dont want to do the 'source' things but there are minimum standards for renters and buyers - engineers reports needed for a mortgage etc. I'm interested rather than stubbornly casting doubt!

[WeAreRovers]

Standard Comer brothers strategy and well known too. Buy distressed assets and sit on them for years. The Sentinel building in Sandyford is a good example. Google has all the details, it's no secret.

[redarmyfaction]

I dont know the place but an eyesore can be subjective, the shopping centre in Phibsborough is a brutalist landmark to some and pure eyesore to others, maybe even has preservation order on it. Hazardous is a different story but there are properties for sale there? I dont want to do the 'source' things but there are minimum standards for renters and buyers - engineers reports needed for a mortgage etc. I'm interested rather than stubbornly casting doubt!

It's in danger of falling over into the Ballisodare River, the foundations are subsiding, the site is not secured and anybody kids included can access it, nobody has ever lived there and nobody ever will it needs to be tossed.

[TVFBLOCKF]

everything i hear about the Comers i like, even up here in the big smoke the moves they are making and investment in Palmerstoen Golf Club....thye just seem to do everything right


Haha what? They certainly don't do everything right and I'm a Galway United fan! They are not even well liked down here, they have half of Galway bought up and a lot of it is sitting idle and derelict.

[joey B]

Derry and Crusaders have launched legal action against Gordon Lyon’s in regards of being overlooked in the recent grant awards….

https://m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/irish-league/ni-football-fund-thrown-into-crisis-as-crusaders-and-derry-city-launch-legal-challenges/a1320010493.html?fbclid=IwdGRleANT0pVleHRuA2FlbQIx MQABHhcGWHBmCo4747PYIq8jgZb_xUpqsROmATUEw--hFrQVyi3rZHg7_Xjzuolg_aem_xPAuVQMZVB3aur5O19MZgw

[forza rovers]

I dont know the place but an eyesore can be subjective, the shopping centre in Phibsborough is a brutalist landmark to some and pure eyesore to others, maybe even has preservation order on it. Hazardous is a different story but there are properties for sale there? I dont want to do the 'source' things but there are minimum standards for renters and buyers - engineers reports needed for a mortgage etc. I'm interested rather than stubbornly casting doubt!

https://magnumlady.com/2024/03/11/the-mill-apartments-ballisodare-sligo-revisited/

[Nesta99]

Appreciate the detail. This is exactly what I meant in anothr thread where govt. et al neglect enforcement of regulations, imposing taxes on hoarding land and complex holdings manipulating supply, not using the derelict site act, not threatening compulsory purchase at significantly below market rates for purpoose of social housing. The mechanisms exist after the ghost estates debacle of the last decade. It is in part how SDCC took on Tallaght Stadium when SRFC couldnt manage or secure the development when it was becoming derelict and dangerous. There arguably could be a case fo Donegal CoCo in Stranrolar but it'd be more likely they would demolish to secure the site if Harps were not trying to sort it. I suspect that under this weeks new tax breaks for apartment complex sales that something will happen on this one. Its an eyesore due to its dereliction though rather than the development being poor. I dont like it when old buildings like Mills are demolished. Plenty have been restored and repurposed retaining the original building character.

[redarmyfaction]

Haha what? They certainly don't do everything right and I'm a Galway United fan! They are not even well liked down here, they have half of Galway bought up and a lot of it is sitting idle and derelict.

So true, I done a bit of survey work in Galway and a good few of the vacant properties led back to Comers, including some retail that had nothing visible wrong with them but were boarded up.

[CorribsideSteve]

So true, I done a bit of survey work in Galway and a good few of the vacant properties led back to Comers, including some retail that had nothing visible wrong with them but were boarded up.
Half the city is vacant if you look close enough and yet we can't build hotels quick enough to cater for our new status as a city exclusively made for travelling tourists.

[redarmyfaction]

Half the city is vacant if you look close enough and yet we can't build hotels quick enough to cater for our new status as a city exclusively made for travelling tourists.

It's hard to know for sure what the strategy is, derelict and empty sites/buildings are rateable, however there are exceptions and clawbacks and I suppose people like the Comers are probably good at making good on those exceptions so landlords and property owners at scale are probably incentivised to restrict supply to keep rents high/ stable in the portion of their portfolio that is let.

[2 Year Contract]

Looks like another 2 year delay on Dalymount redevelopment, with 2029 now the new date for opening. €63 million is an absolutely insane cost for an 8 thousand capacity stadium with no real scope to develop proper stands behind either goal. It probably shows how mad building costs have gone in recent years I guess, but that figure still seems very very high

https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/dublin/2025/11/03/dalymount-park-redevelopment-faces-two-year-delay-after-costs-triple-to-over-63m/

[redarmyfaction]

Looks like another 2 year delay on Dalymount redevelopment, with 2029 now the new date for opening. €63 million is an absolutely insane cost for an 8 thousand capacity stadium with no real scope to develop proper stands behind either goal. It probably shows how mad building costs have gone in recent years I guess, but that figure still seems very very high

https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/dublin/2025/11/03/dalymount-park-redevelopment-faces-two-year-delay-after-costs-triple-to-over-63m/

Abandon those plans, keep the jodi and put in permanent stands on the school and Connaught St sides.

[Dermobohs]

Massively frustrating. Nothing but planning and waffle, but tallaght took an age to move on and just look at harps, a mad situation when you think govt can just shell out a million on a gridiron game seemingly on the spur of the moment.

[oriel]

As touched on in a sep thread, new pitch and replacement LUX lights are needed at Dundalk, they have 80% of the funding in place, not sure re the rest as obv still paying off historical debt.

Personally, I think FAI should force the club to make immediate improvements to away end (and also roof other side of the main stand - open seating albeit better view) as a condition of a Licence. Not a huge amount of time to get all of this completed by before new season but they have to start.

[Kingdom]

Massively frustrating. Nothing but planning and waffle, but tallaght took an age to move on and just look at harps, a mad situation when you think govt can just shell out a million on a gridiron game seemingly on the spur of the moment.

It's actually quite upsetting reading that article, and i'll tell you this, analysing how it's been framed, I wouldn't surprised if someone's setting it up to pull the plans altogether. And I'm not saying that to stir ****e either.

[Shinkicker]

Abandon those plans, keep the jodi and put in permanent stands on the school and Connaught St sides.
Agree, leave the pitch as it and upgrade the surface, revamp the Jodi, new stands at the school end and Connaught st side and make something that holds 1000 at the shopping center end for away support. Capacity circa 10,000 and it would cost far less than what was reported today

[sbgawa]

Its nuts at 64 million and counting.
I agree with above , would be better to upgrade the existing and move on.
It could be done in parts as well without the need for Bohs to move out...maybe

[Nesta99]

If they can delay to the next bust cycle there are savigs to be made. If there is a grant application for architects modifications and resubission thats what is happening. Now can this development get in to the sort of average LoI development timescale?

[redarmyfaction]

Agree, leave the pitch as it and upgrade the surface, revamp the Jodi, new stands at the school end and Connaught st side and make something that holds 1000 at the shopping center end for away support. Capacity circa 10,000 and it would cost far less than what was reported today

Do ye still own part of the Tramway end?

[nigel-harps1954]

https://media.tenor.com/4REptwUSQokAAAAe/now-you-know-of-it-feels-ha.png

[ontheotherhand]

Looks like the new Dalyer won't be allowed to host European league phase games?

Thats a lot of money for something that won't be useable if bohs get that far someday.

[joey B]

Looks like the new Dalyer won't be allowed to host European league phase games?

Thats a lot of money for something that won't be useable if bohs get that far someday.

If that’s true it’s absolute insanity,64 million and you can’t host group games,you’d despair….

[BigEars]

Looks like the new Dalyer won't be allowed to host European league phase games?

Thats a lot of money for something that won't be useable if bohs get that far someday.

I'm guessing that's due to something like not enough car parking spaces ?
It surely has to be something space related or how the hell else couldn't they achieve that for the money involved ?

[fionnsci]

Minimum 8,000 seats which Dalymount won't have. Possibly lacking some other features but capacity is a major missed opportunity either way. Going back to the drawing board probably isn't a feasible option either given how far down the road they are with planning and funding approval. I wonder if they've considered increasing the sizes of the stands by way of amendment application. Probably not as it would increase the cost further.

[ontheotherhand]

I'm guessing that's due to something like not enough car parking spaces ?
It surely has to be something space related or how the hell else couldn't they achieve that for the money involved ?

Rte reported that it was partly due to bohs decision to have safe standing instead of seats....can't find the article now. Anyone know if that's true?

[WeAreRovers]

Rte reported that it was partly due to bohs decision to have safe standing instead of seats....can't find the article now. Anyone know if that's true?

It's in this thread, according to this, it was Bohs who ruled out a Cat 4 ground - https://x.com/Irish_Grounds/status/1985449737643073536

[EatYerGreens]

It's in this thread, according to this, it was Bohs who ruled out a Cat 4 ground - https://x.com/Irish_Grounds/status/1985449737643073536

That's crazy. The northside of Dublin should have at least one Cat 4 stadium. Especially as it's publicly-owned. Would then work in Europe for not just Bohs, but also Shels, Drogheda, Dundalk.

[ontheotherhand]

It's in this thread, according to this, it was Bohs who ruled out a Cat 4 ground - https://x.com/Irish_Grounds/status/1985449737643073536

That's....something else. Suppose it will still be fine for their European friendlies.

Jokes aside, I totally get the attraction of safe standing and wish we had it in Tallaght, but to sacrifice playing big European ties at home for it seems a bit ridiculous. Surprised the council agreed to let them make any decisions on those lines tbh.

[pineapple stu]

Do German sides not have safe standing that converts into seating for Euro games?

And Celtic too I think?

[WeAreRovers]

That's....something else. Suppose it will still be fine for their European friendlies.

Jokes aside, I totally get the attraction of safe standing and wish we had it in Tallaght, but to sacrifice playing big European ties at home for it seems a bit ridiculous. Surprised the council agreed to let them make any decisions on those lines tbh.

There’s talk of introducing safe standing in the South Stand. No idea of timelines though.

[Nesta99]

Smaller associations really should be at UEFA looking for dispensation for Cat 3 stadia for the majority of games. Ok if you end up playing Arsenal like Dundalk did then move to the Aviva Cat 4 standard. But if playing say Breidablik in group stages than Cat 3 should suffice as long as there are minimums like VAR. There is no need for media areas for 10000 journos, or 10000 VIP freebie tickets. Maybe there could be a time limit aspect to dispensation to get things up to Cat 4 but many criteria are not needed - would Dundalk need a 8k minimum capacity stadium to be able to play European games at home with an average gate of 3k domestically? In an era of significant inflation, talk of carbon neutral development etc well building significantly more than what is needed hardly fits these objectives. I know Bohs could probably do with more than 6k, but integrating what exists, refurbish the Jodi Stand, new stand the opposite side and convertable terracing behind one or both goals could be phased starting with the new stand.

There are plenty of stadia in the UK that are bespoke shoehorned in to very tight footprint due to the prefab tech used rather than poured concrete. Vicarage Road is an interesting one for unusual shape site and many groundws are right up against housing - they comply for UEFA games. So maybe a rethink is needed, get a non Iirsh company that isnt on the gravy train in. €65M+ is just mad even in todays climate and stinks of gouging public money.