Old Irish football grounds

There are a lot of football grounds that are no longer used for LOI football.

Are any of them still used for football?
Any memories?
Any old or current photos?

Belgium Park, Monaghan.
Kilkohan Park, Waterford.
Bishopstown, Cork.
Flower Lodge, Cork.
Lourdes Stadium, Drogheda.
Rathbane/Hogan Park, Limerick.
Market's Field, Limerick.
St Mel's Park, Athlone.
Abbeycarlton, Longford.
Ballgowan Park, Newcastle West.
Racecourse Ground(?), Thurles.
Harrold's Cross, Dublin.
Santry, Dublin.
Milltown, Dublin.
Baldonnel, Dublin.
Whitehall, Dublin.

Any others?


Galway United played for one year (1993ish) in Crowly Park (home of Galwegians RFC). There was no stand and no seating but there was a bar!. It was sold for €24M last year for development.

When Longford Town played at Abbeycarlton, it was a bizarre set up. There was a stand with about 40 seats which were taken in after every game. There was a massive slope on the pitch which made free kicks difficiult. :D
It is located in the town unlike it's impressive successor. Is it still used for football?

The Lourdes Stadium in Drogheda is being re built for Athletics. Should be top class when the project is finished.

You can add Belfield Park to that list. :(

can safely say the only football going on at Milltown nowadays is the odd game of Pro Evo on the Playstation

Don't have photos of St Mels but have some video footage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7dde4GE-IQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiC9f8A4UeI

Flower Lodge is now Pairc Ui Rinn and owned by the GAA.

Bishopstown in Cork aswell :o

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Battery Rover

Don't have photos of St Mels but have some video footage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7dde4GE-IQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiC9f8A4UeI

---

Heres some:

http://www.ifgrounds.com/athlonetown.html

kilcohan is only used for dog racing

pics of belgium park?

before my time in EL

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Paddyfield

When Longford Town played at Abbeycarlton, it was a bizarre set up. There was a stand with about 40 seats which were taken in after every game. There was a massive slope on the pitch which made free kicks difficiult. :D
It is located in the town unlike it's impressive successor. Is it still used for football?

---

As I'm only still a teenager, I was never at a Town game at Abbeycartron. But yeah, it's still used for underage football every Saturday morning. I do a bit of refereeing down there from time to time.

Irishtown Stadium and Shelbourne Park.

presume whitehall is still used by home farm underage etc

baldonnell thats where st francis played wasnt it, it was a fantastic pitch and lovely facilitys but too far from anywhere to be a success, i think national team still use it for training, st francis were amalgamated with one of the dublin clubs but i think they have started to reappear in last couple of years on own,:)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ramsfan

baldonnell thats where st francis played wasnt it, it was a fantastic pitch and lovely facilitys but too far from anywhere to be a success, i think national team still use it for training, st francis were amalgamated with one of the dublin clubs but i think they have started to reappear in last couple of years on own,:)

---

still use for lsl and schoolboy football by francis. played there last season and it was in great nick

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by A face

Bishopstown in Cork aswell :o

---

For the mean time anyway ;)

always was a top place, pitch was prob best in first div when they played a couple of years back. shame they never had big enough support to survive in loi

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by micls

For the mean time anyway ;)

---

why whats the story there?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ramsfan

why whats the story there?

---

No real story...just theories.

McCarthy developments own bishopstown at the moment. They wanted to build student accommodation, but the council refused to rezone the land.

Since Arkaga are apparently looking for a site then one as ready made as Bishopstown would be ideal. Rumour is they will but it

well since last time city used it, the stadium has become way more attractive proposition as it is reachable by car alot easier and there is room for parking , if available would be better as turners cross is a bitch to get parking at.
munster fa wouldnt be too happy though big stadium sitting idle for most of the year:)