Stadium Updates (All Clubs)

[placid casual]

An article in the independent today mentioning increasing seating capacity in tallaght stadium apparently.
Wonder will they fill in the corners?
https://www.independent.ie/regionals/dublin/dublin-news/cycle-lanes-a-new-harbour-and-college-green-goes-bus-free-the-big-changes-happening-in-dublin-this-year/a419626789.html

[Kingdom]

Yeah and I still wouldnt want him playing another high contact sport if I was his professional club, I still think its is bizzare. It wouldnt have been miles away from Roy Keane being back in Cork and truning out for Cobh in a playoff when a Manchester United player - I know registration rules wouldnt actually allow this but thats AFLs issue or the GAA were players can still be parahuted in to a squad when they happen to be home on holidays.
Mark O'Connor and his family are registered Dingle members and always have been. He plays for the club every time he comes back home. In the case of Daingean, they are missing their starting midfielder in Barry Dan Sullivan due an ACL he suffered playing with Kerry, so getting Mark was a godsend.


But that case aside Im sure we all know of case where 'star' players, absent for hard slog of aGAA season and are flown in when a club looks like they could make a final.
To be fair, that's every inter-county player in the bigger counties - i.e. they only play with their club for Championship matches.

[pineapple stu]

An article in the independent today mentioning increasing seating capacity in tallaght stadium apparently.
Wonder will they fill in the corners?
https://www.independent.ie/regionals/dublin/dublin-news/cycle-lanes-a-new-harbour-and-college-green-goes-bus-free-the-big-changes-happening-in-dublin-this-year/a419626789.html
A strange question for the LoI in this day and age, but...are extra seats needed?

[nr637]

An article in the independent today mentioning increasing seating capacity in tallaght stadium apparently.
Wonder will they fill in the corners?
https://www.independent.ie/regionals/dublin/dublin-news/cycle-lanes-a-new-harbour-and-college-green-goes-bus-free-the-big-changes-happening-in-dublin-this-year/a419626789.html

The 10,134 paying fans who watched Shelbourne lose 0-3 to Crystal Palace in the UEFA Conference League on Thursday night 11th December 2025, resulted in the Reds breaking the attendance record for a competitive game in the Tallaght Stadium.

[passinginterest]

An article in the independent today mentioning increasing seating capacity in tallaght stadium apparently.
Wonder will they fill in the corners?
https://www.independent.ie/regionals/dublin/dublin-news/cycle-lanes-a-new-harbour-and-college-green-goes-bus-free-the-big-changes-happening-in-dublin-this-year/a419626789.html

There's nothing in the 2026 SDCC draft budget about adding seats. It's allocating 100k to host a concert there in the summer and mentions completion of work on the dugouts and floodlights. If there are plans for more seats it's not in 2026 or the money is coming from another source. https://www.sdcc.ie/en/news/draft-budget-2026.pdf

[Roones26]

A strange question for the LoI in this day and age, but...are extra seats needed?

Probably is the short answer. Maybe not necessarily on a week-to-week basis, but it's a big leap between 10,500 and the 51,000 of the Aviva so having more seats in Tallaght is likely no harm


An article in the independent today mentioning increasing seating capacity in tallaght stadium apparently.
Wonder will they fill in the corners?
https://www.independent.ie/regionals/dublin/dublin-news/cycle-lanes-a-new-harbour-and-college-green-goes-bus-free-the-big-changes-happening-in-dublin-this-year/a419626789.html

The issue I'd think for Tallaght regarding adding capacity at this stage is that all the easy, very doable stuff is done right? infilling the corners likely involves signifcant works to the existing stands that are there specifically I would think in respect of the roofs, no two of which are the same, and moving the floodlights etc as well as the fact i dont think the North Stand corners can be filled based on the design ? which would make me think its capital intensive for not a huge return capacity wise for how often the capacity would be filled

Would not surprise me one bit if it was more economical to knock the West Stand and double capacity there

[Kingdom]

Probably is the short answer. Maybe not necessarily on a week-to-week basis, but it's a big leap between 10,500 and the 51,000 of the Aviva so having more seats in Tallaght is likely no harm



The issue I'd think for Tallaght regarding adding capacity at this stage is that all the easy, very doable stuff is done right? infilling the corners likely involves signifcant works to the existing stands that are there specifically I would think in respect of the roofs, no two of which are the same, and moving the floodlights etc as well as the fact i dont think the North Stand corners can be filled based on the design ? which would make me think its capital intensive for not a huge return capacity wise for how often the capacity would be filled

Would not surprise me one bit if it was more economical to knock the West Stand and double capacity there

The news article references adding office space, so it's possible that you could add 4 blocks in each corner to close the ground off and create a few levels of office space. See it in a few stadiums around EU, but might not suit Tallaght,.

[Nesta99]

Mark O'Connor and his family are registered Dingle members and always have been. He plays for the club every time he comes back home. In the case of Daingean, they are missing their starting midfielder in Barry Dan Sullivan due an ACL he suffered playing with Kerry, so getting Mark was a godsend.


To be fair, that's every inter-county player in the bigger counties - i.e. they only play with their club for Championship matches.

There are always reason some ok and excues, all boil down to best chance of winning. But it doesnt make it right that a squad gets a team to x point and a club then parachutes other players in. There should be some regulation against it, saving cost to an amateur sport. Even just registering a player who is in Boston on the off chance he might be needed doesnt sit well. But for another professional sport and club, to allow one of their contracted and paid players fly off to the other side of the world to play another physical code is still bizarre. Who covers cost if an injury hapened, what insurance pays the wages or if long term replacing the player, god forbid a career ending situation, who reconciles that. Its not an issue with GAA, I just think its mad from his employer. Even within GAA dual players are discourged and mostly a thing of the past. You very rarely get lads who play LoI and also play some GAA any more. Rugby League put a stop to lads playig Union in their spare time before Union professionalised. Loading is very highly managed even withing Union in terms of club, province, international and for some Lions participation. Off season is a break not to go off an play something else. Cricket is the only other sport I can think of where contracted players can go and sign up for something like the Indian Criket League in an off season. Its quiet on the LoI front so while off topic, theres not a whole lot going on.

[Buckett]

Were you usually a sub during your playing days by any chance?

[Nesta99]

No actually. Didnt play GAA after I was 11 when they wouldnt give a jersey to a guy with special needs cause, to quote 'you wont be getting on anyway' so manager put that sub shirt back in the bag. Even at that age I knew it stank so I quit gah, played hockey instead as a econd sport and while not my preferred spor turned out to be the one I was good at (spent summers with family in Tipperary all sport involved a stick) and reached provinical level underage, became interesed in other things when I went to university which I regret now not taking the chance more seriously.

Not sure why it matters. Sub or not I still think when you have signed a professional contract with one club in a sport, heading off to the other side to play another sport is daft. Could impact the plavers ability to earn, and the clubs investment. If you think I have a grudge because someone was parachuted in to my place, no! But I still think that a side to gets to a final should be allowed play the final. Its no different imo than kids coaches that have a 1st XI and dont play other kids like its Champions League, not squad or player development its personal ego.

[Buller]

I remember I was told to give up playing soccer as its a "micky mouse" sport by my GAA manager. Eventually gave up gaelic despite the pressure as I just preferred playing soccer. That was nearly 20 years ago now but its always been discouraged to play both.

[Kingdom]

But I still think that a side to gets to a final should be allowed play the final. Its no different imo than kids coaches that have a 1st XI and dont play other kids like its Champions League, not squad or player development its personal ego.

If this is relating back to Daingean Ui Chuis getting to the All-Ireland club final, then your comment is redundant - Mark O'Connor has played every match in their club championship run from group stage, to the All-Ireland final. He hasn't displaced anyone - special needs or not.
And to take it a further step, from the next argument I could see; no, he didn't play any county league matches, just like the Kerry representative players for Daingean Uí Chuis didn't - very similar to arrangements in Dublin, Tyrone, Donegal and elsewhere who compete for Sam.

[nigel-harps1954]

I remember I was told to give up playing soccer as its a "micky mouse" sport by my GAA manager. Eventually gave up gaelic despite the pressure as I just preferred playing soccer. That was nearly 20 years ago now but its always been discouraged to play both.

Same thing happened to me. Got to minor level at gaelic football, and was fairly handy at it. GAA boys kept on to me to give up "that soccer nonsense", where my football club were more than accommodating. Still with the same football club 20 years later and have hardly stepped into a GAA ground since. The same rotten attitudes remain at GAA clubs too, and there's plenty of examples of promising young footballers being coerced into giving up the game for some twisted sense of parish pride.

[placid casual]

some twisted sense of parish pride.

That's a great name for a song.

[thebronze14]

Same thing happened to me. Got to minor level at gaelic football, and was fairly handy at it. GAA boys kept on to me to give up "that soccer nonsense", where my football club were more than accommodating. Still with the same football club 20 years later and have hardly stepped into a GAA ground since. The same rotten attitudes remain at GAA clubs too, and there's plenty of examples of promising young footballers being coerced into giving up the game for some twisted sense of parish pride.

I gave up GAA after minor as I found the thing too clannish. If you were from a certain part of the parish you didn't get picked. Stuck with the football all my life. Coaxed into joining a junior GAA team in Dublin and played with them from ages 21-34. They were fantastic. Great camaraderie and they understood that it wasn't the be all and end all. They knew Football took precidence for me and respected that. Ended up picking up a few championships with them all the while playing football too. When I moved home I didn't even bother going to a GAA club as if you are over 30 they wouldn't want to know

[Shinkicker]

Same thing happened to me. Got to minor level at gaelic football, and was fairly handy at it. GAA boys kept on to me to give up "that soccer nonsense", where my football club were more than accommodating. Still with the same football club 20 years later and have hardly stepped into a GAA ground since. The same rotten attitudes remain at GAA clubs too, and there's plenty of examples of promising young footballers being coerced into giving up the game for some twisted sense of parish pride.
I also got to minor and told if you kick a soccer ball you'll never play for this club again. I replied "many thanks you made that decision easy for me" I went on to play a reasonable level of soccer they went on to become millionaires and bankrupt in more recent times.

[Nesta99]

But it'd be totaly fine to be contracted to play AFL obviously....

Im not questioning O'Connor's desire or ability, Im simply questioning the common sense of his employer in AFL letting him play elewhere during an off season of necessary recovery for sports people. I dont see this as a particularly crazy opinion to have. Things are different in Kerry obviously. If a lad from say Cork is signed by Kerry FC i'm sure they'd have no problem letting him go play for his Cork GAA club over the close season.

[dundalkfc10]

I gave up GAA after minor as I found the thing too clannish. If you were from a certain part of the parish you didn't get picked. Stuck with the football all my life. Coaxed into joining a junior GAA team in Dublin and played with them from ages 21-34. They were fantastic. Great camaraderie and they understood that it wasn't the be all and end all. They knew Football took precidence for me and respected that. Ended up picking up a few championships with them all the while playing football too. When I moved home I didn't even bother going to a GAA club as if you are over 30 they wouldn't want to know

In fairness if the GAA club has a decent manager he will accept lads playing soccer. Eoin Bradley is a prime example, he played Irish League for years but also lined out for Derry and his club team. He was on a podcast recently that he scored the winner for Linfield for Glenavon in Windsor Park at 3 on a Sat and was playing with Derry in Croke Park that night against Dublin

I know plenty lads who play local NEFL and also play Gaelic with their clubs

[kingdomkerry]

An article in the independent today mentioning increasing seating capacity in tallaght stadium apparently.
Wonder will they fill in the corners?
https://www.independent.ie/regionals/dublin/dublin-news/cycle-lanes-a-new-harbour-and-college-green-goes-bus-free-the-big-changes-happening-in-dublin-this-year/a419626789.html

How would they do that when each of the 4 stands are completely different.

[oriel]

The 10,134 paying fans who watched Shelbourne lose 0-3 to Crystal Palace in the UEFA Conference League on Thursday night 11th December 2025, resulted in the Reds breaking the attendance record for a competitive game in the Tallaght Stadium.

Fuelled by a massive away following and of course hundreds of neutrals wanting to see a PL club, but take the point this was a record crowd, was it full capacity actually, close to I`d imagine.

[BigEars]

Fuelled by a massive away following and of course hundreds of neutrals wanting to see a PL club, but take the point this was a record crowd, was it full capacity actually, close to I`d imagine.

Not sure if you mean full capacity for the night or in general, but Tallaght holds just over 10,500.
Although it wouldn't be possible to achieve that without giving away a full stand to away support due to seat kills etc.

[outspoken]

There were plenty of empty seats in Tallaght that night

[De Town]

I see Kerry are putting a new astro down, only started it yesterday.

First home game on February 20th - surely they're cutting it tight to have it done in time there?

[Roones26]

Huge stadium news this evening about turners cross. Its now Munster FA Turners Cross Stadium

https://x.com/AndrewHorgan/status/2014804646800339346

[2 Year Contract]

A truly top level display of insecurity from the Munster FA board there :D

[culloty82]

With about the same likelihood of being adopted by media outlets as Páirc Uí Chaoimh's sponsor.

[nigel-harps1954]

Huge stadium news this evening about turners cross. Its now Munster FA Turners Cross Stadium

https://x.com/AndrewHorgan/status/2014804646800339346

Fantastic level of small man syndrome there.

[Roones26]

Its just super unclear to me here as to what the motivation is here ? Like clearly as everyone has pointed out its petty bull**** but equally like whats the point/ratioanle ?

[oriel]

The only thing this will mean is, almost everyone will insist on calling it 'Turners Cross' forever.

[Shinkicker]

Great to see the new owners of Dundalk putting a great effort into the stadium. There are photos of the new pitch and roof repairs as well as stating there are other repairs ongoing too, toilets etc. With help from supporters. Well done to everyone involved.

[brendy_éire]

Great to see the new owners of Dundalk putting a great effort into the stadium. There are photos of the new pitch and roof repairs as well as stating there are other repairs ongoing too, toilets etc. With help from supporters. Well done to everyone involved.

I can't agree that putting in another plastic pitch constitutes a "great effort".
Are there any plans to have it replaced in a timely fashion? Let's be honest, it'll be a wreck in few years time.

[ger121]

Huge stadium news this evening about turners cross. Its now Munster FA Turners Cross Stadium

https://x.com/AndrewHorgan/status/2014804646800339346

I hope this nonsense is ignored. It’s a mouthful and not even related to a sponsorship deal.

[Buckett]

Repair works aren't progress, it just takes you back to where you were before the damage was caused!

[brendy_éire]

I hope this nonsense is ignored. It’s a mouthful and not even related to a sponsorship deal.

Fans will ignore it, but it will be interesting to see what Cork do.
I do enjoy the pettiness of it. It's very funny seeing the MFA try to big themselves up. Highlights what's wrong with football in this country really.

[brendy_éire]

Celtic Park confirmed for Derry City this season. Maybe five games.

Not sure on the setup yet. The main stand holds 3.6k odd, and some will have to go to away fans.
Actually looking forward to it for the novelty.

[BigEars]

Fans will ignore it, but it will be interesting to see what Cork do.
I do enjoy the pettiness of it. It's very funny seeing the MFA try to big themselves up. Highlights what's wrong with football in this country really.

Well it shows the priority of the MFA. They've got a League which is solely competed for by clubs from Cork, even though almost all other counties would have Junior clubs capable of competing at some level of the MSL.
Should they prioritise fixing that problem ?...... no they're too busy having a spat with Cork City, proving a point over who owns the stadium.

[brendy_éire]

...they're too busy having a spat with Cork City, proving a point over who owns the stadium.

That's what I don't get. What point are they trying to prove? Who thinks they don't own it? Do they think Cork City are claiming the 'credit' for the ground? And even then, so what? They're getting the rental income.
It's not like there aren't plenty of grounds not owned by their club in this league or in the likes of the IL.

[Nesta99]

Just watching the Connacht v Leinster game, 1st night of the new stand being opened piqued interest. Couple of observations, Interesting configuration behind the in goal area and the dog racing track with the terracing inside the track. Hadnt realised it before and makes sense if it can be done and it seems to work. Ive never been in the ground so not sure if there is terracing outside the track perimiter also, is the track area itself used? Ive seen the pitch used before but had forgotten until commentary mentioned it was 3G surface, you wouldnt particularly know watching on TV. Seeing someone the size of RG Snyman changing to the big studs, and the surface takes the srummaging then its certainly resilient. Think its on the go since 2022, if the new Oriel surface is similar then there will be few enough complaints bar the old excuses. Really nice stand at 6500, id say 1500 standing at the front, development of 40m but if clubs rooms and old stand were demolished itd surely include a replacement and ancillary facilities so not too bad a price tag (maybe Im adapting to silly costs of everything else to think that). Track doent seem to make the distance between pitch and crowd an issue. While I wouldnt particularly want Dundalk to move to the racecoure in Dundalk, the Sportground shows how something could work and benefit a few sports, horses and dogs - have to be a clever design for horse racing to be accomodated. Dont think it would work but if trying to to duplicate facilities.

I know with the dog track and rugby, adding football in also would be touch to schedule but near ED Park its 2 good grounds, shame that it couldnt have been a shared facility with the LoI side and have less duplication of facilities in a small city. Make one great facility rather than 2 decent ones (unless Sportsground gets futher developem inc. behind goals). Not a whole lot more could be done at ED Park, well if clubrooms were demolished there could be something done behind that goal but i'd say its probably at safe limit even if reconfigured unless there was a full exit created opposite end the from the clubhouse. There is only space for a small terrace that City(?) end. Maybe there is more room than I recall clubhouse end if it was demolished? Could a pitch be moved toward that end if a new development was happening, and money wasnt an issue?

[EatYerGreens]

Celtic Park confirmed for Derry City this season. Maybe five games.

Not sure on the setup yet. The main stand holds 3.6k odd, and some will have to go to away fans.
Actually looking forward to it for the novelty.

Wow! Could we even have both Derry and Galway playing out of GAA county grounds at the same time?

You'd expect that main stand to fill with the home fans alone. Especially as games there would attract a crowd just for the novelty factor. What's the rest of the ground like? Could away fans be put on terracing?

[EatYerGreens]

Huge stadium news this evening about turners cross. Its now Munster FA Turners Cross Stadium

https://x.com/AndrewHorgan/status/2014804646800339346

Real Trumpian 'Gulf of America' vibes about this decision.

[Buckett]

The dog track in the Sportsground is used twice a week. The facilities in the new stand and the other buildings behind it are top class.

In Terryland, they're nearly finished building a small wheelchair/disabled stand in front of the old clubhouse.
At the city end, I think development there is complicated by underground infrastructure from the water treatment plant next door.

[Roones26]

The dog track in the Sportsground is used twice a week. The facilities in the new stand and the other buildings behind it are top class.

In Terryland, they're nearly finished building a small wheelchair/disabled stand in front of the old clubhouse.
At the city end, I think development there is complicated by underground infrastructure from the water treatment plant next door.


Could get that down to a nice round 0 if the government ended the 20 million subvention.

Is there any plan for the opposite side of the Sportsgrounds?

Could be renamed Galway FA Eamonn Deacy Park the way things are going

[legendz]

Huge stadium news this evening about turners cross. Its now Munster FA Turners Cross Stadium

https://x.com/AndrewHorgan/status/2014804646800339346

"Cork FA" Turners Cross Stadium would be more accurate. The Cork FA must have been watching goings on in Mayo.

[brendy_éire]

All going well, the last match on the plastic pitch in the Brandywell will be Dundalk on 10th April.
Shamrock Rovers on 24th April will be the first match at Celtic Park.
The last game there will be Drogheda on 26th June, but if the weather is decent, it may be sooner.

[Stiof]

All going well, the last match on the plastic pitch in the Brandywell will be Dundalk on 10th April.
Shamrock Rovers on 24th April will be the first match at Celtic Park.
The last game there will be Drogheda on 26th June, but if the weather is decent, it may be sooner.

That Dundalk game is now an away game Brendy so the last fixture on the old pitch should be against Drogheda on 20th March.

[brendy_éire]

That Dundalk game is now an away game Brendy so the last fixture on the old pitch should be against Drogheda on 20th March.

Ah yes, so it is. Four away games in a row in April then.

[ger121]

Probably too early to know but I would be curious how many stands will be open in Celtic Pk. Away crowds might be bigger due to the novelty factor. Bohs are due to play there and I’d love to go up.

[Stiof]

Ah yes, so it is. Four away games in a row in April then.

I wonder will that allow the work to begin a bit earlier than planned then...if it suits Stute...

[EatYerGreens]

Probably too early to know but I would be curious how many stands will be open in Celtic Pk. Away crowds might be bigger due to the novelty factor. Bohs are due to play there and I’d love to go up.

How mamy stands are there there? Looks to be only one from photos.

[nigel-harps1954]

How mamy stands are there there? Looks to be only one from photos.

It's technically a four sided ground, although one end only has a tiny terrace area on it. One area all along Lone Moor Road has a stand that must have 3,000 seats or thereabouts and the rest of the ground is all terraced.