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Replying To Fionn: "I wouldn't be so sure about that....
If Croke Park can successfully host an NFL game, then it can host a CL Final." Based on what ive heard from people working in the stadium...
and i work events and match days there all the time...
the GAA/Croke Park had to put in loads of extra work to allow that NFL game go ahead. theyd need to do similar if not more for a champions league final
KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3970 - 12/04/2026 12:08:45
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Replying To KillingFields: "Theyre not going to go to Croke Park for a champions league final even with temporary seating on the hill
Unless they put in a lot of work inside the stadium. especially on the public floors of the stadum" What sort of work would they need to put in ?
yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 12055 - 12/04/2026 12:37:16
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Replying To Viking66: "That would transform O'Moore Park. O'Connor Park also. But would we have enough games to make it financially viable? The cricket grounds in Oz often double up for the AFL also dont they?" He was working in the UK for the likes of tests at Old Trafford, Headingly and Trent Bridge I think it was.
I don't know the costs involved or whether it is financially a runner but it would be worth investigating.
A Leinster Final is lost in Croke Park, that is undeniable. But Leinster GAA lacks an alternative. It is farcical that Munster has Pairc Ui Chaoimh, Thurles, Gaelic Grounds all over 40k and thinking about redeveloping Killarney, while Leinster counties have Croke Park and a host of 20-25k grounds and nothing in the middle? Was St. Conleth's redevelopment a missed opportunity for the province?
StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 2007 - 14/04/2026 15:09:49
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Replying To StoreysTash: "He was working in the UK for the likes of tests at Old Trafford, Headingly and Trent Bridge I think it was.
I don't know the costs involved or whether it is financially a runner but it would be worth investigating.
A Leinster Final is lost in Croke Park, that is undeniable. But Leinster GAA lacks an alternative. It is farcical that Munster has Pairc Ui Chaoimh, Thurles, Gaelic Grounds all over 40k and thinking about redeveloping Killarney, while Leinster counties have Croke Park and a host of 20-25k grounds and nothing in the middle? Was St. Conleth's redevelopment a missed opportunity for the province?" As many of us will see on Saturday, St. Conleth's Park in Newbridge is bang in the middle of town, with no room to go in any direction for any major expansion. Haven't actually been it since its redevelopment of a couple of years ago, but am told it's a nice "tidy" ground with room for about 15,000.
As for the Munster venues you mention (and bearing in mind that Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney still holds about 38,000 people) - there's another school of thought that says it's farcical that Munster has so many grounds in or around 40,000 capacity, when the vast majority of matches in them have crowds that are only a fraction of that size.
And realistically - how often would Wexford, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, etc., actually need a ground that holds 40,000 or more? As opposed to how often would Leinster need a ground of that size?
Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3549 - 14/04/2026 17:01:51
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Replying To Pikeman96: "As many of us will see on Saturday, St. Conleth's Park in Newbridge is bang in the middle of town, with no room to go in any direction for any major expansion. Haven't actually been it since its redevelopment of a couple of years ago, but am told it's a nice "tidy" ground with room for about 15,000.
As for the Munster venues you mention (and bearing in mind that Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney still holds about 38,000 people) - there's another school of thought that says it's farcical that Munster has so many grounds in or around 40,000 capacity, when the vast majority of matches in them have crowds that are only a fraction of that size.
And realistically - how often would Wexford, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, etc., actually need a ground that holds 40,000 or more? As opposed to how often would Leinster need a ground of that size?" Its a nice ground with a modern stand. Probably could put seats on the other 3 sides if you wanted.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19373 - 14/04/2026 18:49:27
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"And realistically - how often would Wexford, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, etc., actually need a ground that holds 40,000 or more? As opposed to how often would Leinster need a ground of that size?
Pikeman96"
We need 1 in the province, not 3-4 of them. The problem at the moment is Leinster as Storeytash says, we have many 20k but nothing then for that slightly bigger game.
The weakness in the argument is that say Nowlan Park was the place, most Leinster hurling final would be on their home patch. No county would agree to that. But get one venue upgraded and then worry about what next.
ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1635 - 15/04/2026 09:15:33
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A stadium done right is in investment for 30-40-50 years as long as its maintained.
Leinster doesn't need a Pairc Ui Chaoimh white elephant, just a mid-sized venue to host most of the bigger matches.
Portlaoise is the obvious place given it could attract neutral fixtures as well as being close to a few motorways, trains, buses and its slap bang in the middle of the country.
I know there are no neutral fixtures in football but in 5 years there could be, and it could hold U20/minor finals annually.
I don't think Kilkenny would work, I think logistically if Galway play Kilkenny in a Leinster Final they won't play it in Kilkenny. Unless they tossed for home/away.
StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 2007 - 15/04/2026 11:39:33
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Replying To ExiledInWex: ""And realistically - how often would Wexford, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, etc., actually need a ground that holds 40,000 or more? As opposed to how often would Leinster need a ground of that size?
Pikeman96"
We need 1 in the province, not 3-4 of them. The problem at the moment is Leinster as Storeytash says, we have many 20k but nothing then for that slightly bigger game.
The weakness in the argument is that say Nowlan Park was the place, most Leinster hurling final would be on their home patch. No county would agree to that. But get one venue upgraded and then worry about what next." The reality is that any upgrade of a stadium or stadiums in Leinster, that would hold c40k would be beyond the reach of the financial resources of the GAA. It would also be madness to consider a stadium of this size without a proper business case to fully utilise it, meaning that corporate / concerts / other sports would need to be catered for. The GAA got stung for POC by letting a county board go off & build a stadium and were left carrying the can. That's not going to happen again.
In reality, Dublin does need a municipal stadium, possibly on the south side & one that has decent transport links etc. If it's ever going to happen it will likely be on Dublin GAA land at the Spawell but given the FAI hasn't a pot to **** in, it's unlikely to happen in the near future. Maybe if Parnell Park could be sold for a good price that might change but if the whole thing it to make financial sense, it has to be for all sports with financial input from all 3 (GAA, IRFU & FAI) & Government.
Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 2020 - 15/04/2026 11:41:54
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Replying To Square_B: "I hope she does get her day out, but Eddie Hearn has learned very quickly that he won't browbeat the GAA. He'll have to pay up the going rate like everyone else." https://www.rte.ie/sport/boxing/2026/0415/1568341-taylors-promoters-set-for-croke-park-talks-on-friday/
Hopefully getting closer.....
Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 4894 - 15/04/2026 11:51:04
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@ExiledinWex & StoreysTash - My point is that it's Leinster that "needs" a stadium of that size. None of the individual counties need it. There's not one of us here with a county ground that's regularly bursting at the seams for home matches, and with people missing out on it due to lack of capacity.
And if the "obvious" location would be Portlaoise - Laois GAA certainly doesn't need a stadium to hold 40,000 to 45,000 people.
If Leinster GAA decided they wanted to develop O'Moore Park into a ground of that size, there'd be all sorts of issues to be resolved first, re. ownership, funding, maintenance, etc.
Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3549 - 15/04/2026 12:10:08
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Replying To yew_tree: "What sort of work would they need to put in ?" Ive just seen reports in papers that croker would need revamp and tbf its showing its age. and its nearly 30 years since it was done up
think media and vip/corporate upgrades would be needed to be improved to host a champions league final
KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3970 - 15/04/2026 17:18:45
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Replying To StoreysTash: "A stadium done right is in investment for 30-40-50 years as long as its maintained.
Leinster doesn't need a Pairc Ui Chaoimh white elephant, just a mid-sized venue to host most of the bigger matches.
Portlaoise is the obvious place given it could attract neutral fixtures as well as being close to a few motorways, trains, buses and its slap bang in the middle of the country.
I know there are no neutral fixtures in football but in 5 years there could be, and it could hold U20/minor finals annually.
I don't think Kilkenny would work, I think logistically if Galway play Kilkenny in a Leinster Final they won't play it in Kilkenny. Unless they tossed for home/away." Kilkenny would work and a stadium there would be very likely to get the necessary M+E that stadiums rely on to make profit and dont think a non neutral leinster final venue would be necessarily a problem
KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3970 - 15/04/2026 17:21:14
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Replying To KillingFields: "Ive just seen reports in papers that croker would need revamp and tbf its showing its age. and its nearly 30 years since it was done up
think media and vip/corporate upgrades would be needed to be improved to host a champions league final" Already being looked at... from 2023 (https://www.gaa.ie/news/cusack-stand-redevelopment-work-under-way). This was part of a wider plan to spend up to 70mil on refurbishment works however it's not clear when the next phase will go ahead. Croke Park would be well fit to hold a Champions League final with minimal investment, in fairness it was being considered for Euro 2028 before being ruled out as there was concerns about being able to fill it for group games.
Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 2020 - 15/04/2026 19:34:46
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Replying To KillingFields: "Kilkenny would work and a stadium there would be very likely to get the necessary M+E that stadiums rely on to make profit and dont think a non neutral leinster final venue would be necessarily a problem" Oh, I think that Kilkenny being a constant or near-constant Leinster Hurling Final venue would be an issue all right.
I know one of the Munster finalists often has home advantage all right, but you're able to share that around three different places, and still also have the option of a neutral venue if Clare or Waterford are involved.
But neither Wexford nor Galway would ever be able to host a Leinster Final return. Dublin couldn't do it either unless it went back to Croke Park, which is exactly what you'd be trying to get away from in the first place.
And I'm not ruling out Offaly, Laois, or any of the rest. But none of them could host a Leinster Final with a crowd of 40,000 or more either. It'd be in Kilkenny every single year, with the Cats having a significant advantage every time they made the final.
Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3549 - 15/04/2026 21:49:15
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Replying To Pikeman96: "@ExiledinWex & StoreysTash - My point is that it's Leinster that "needs" a stadium of that size. None of the individual counties need it. There's not one of us here with a county ground that's regularly bursting at the seams for home matches, and with people missing out on it due to lack of capacity.
And if the "obvious" location would be Portlaoise - Laois GAA certainly doesn't need a stadium to hold 40,000 to 45,000 people.
If Leinster GAA decided they wanted to develop O'Moore Park into a ground of that size, there'd be all sorts of issues to be resolved first, re. ownership, funding, maintenance, etc." This was the point I tried to make last night.
Portlaoise is the obvious place given its location, close to motorways, transport, etc mean it would be well located and could hold neutral games.
I know Laois don't need a stadium to hold 40-50k, but Leinster does and the provincial needs are big here. We have several 20-25k stadium and then an 80k stadium. We need a middle of the road venue. Games in Croke Park are boring unless there is 50k and even then it can feel empty some times.
Yes I know issues like maintenance, ownership, etc need to be resolved but is that not where lawyers, accountants and banks come in? These are issues that can be resolved and Laois get a better stadium out of it, its not exactly Wembley as it is.
ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1635 - 16/04/2026 11:29:23
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Replying To ExiledInWex: " Replying To Pikeman96: "<b>@ExiledinWex & StoreysTash</b> - My point is that it's <u>Leinster</u> that "needs" a stadium of that size. None of the individual counties need it. There's not one of us here with a county ground that's regularly bursting at the seams for home matches, and with people missing out on it due to lack of capacity.
And if the "obvious" location would be Portlaoise - Laois GAA certainly doesn't need a stadium to hold 40,000 to 45,000 people.
If Leinster GAA decided they wanted to develop O'Moore Park into a ground of that size, there'd be all sorts of issues to be resolved first, re. ownership, funding, maintenance, etc."</div>This was the point I tried to make last night.
Portlaoise is the obvious place given its location, close to motorways, transport, etc mean it would be well located and could hold neutral games.
I know Laois don't need a stadium to hold 40-50k, but Leinster does and the provincial needs are big here. We have several 20-25k stadium and then an 80k stadium. We need a middle of the road venue. Games in Croke Park are boring unless there is 50k and even then it can feel empty some times.
Yes I know issues like maintenance, ownership, etc need to be resolved but is that not where lawyers, accountants and banks come in? These are issues that can be resolved and Laois get a better stadium out of it, its not exactly Wembley as it is." How many games would this enlarged Laois Stadium get? 1 Leinster Hurling Final 1 All Ireland Hurling Qtr Final ? ? ?
Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 516 - 16/04/2026 12:45:02
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Replying To ExiledInWex: " Replying To Pikeman96: "<b>@ExiledinWex & StoreysTash</b> - My point is that it's <u>Leinster</u> that "needs" a stadium of that size. None of the individual counties need it. There's not one of us here with a county ground that's regularly bursting at the seams for home matches, and with people missing out on it due to lack of capacity.
And if the "obvious" location would be Portlaoise - Laois GAA certainly doesn't need a stadium to hold 40,000 to 45,000 people.
If Leinster GAA decided they wanted to develop O'Moore Park into a ground of that size, there'd be all sorts of issues to be resolved first, re. ownership, funding, maintenance, etc."</div>This was the point I tried to make last night.
Portlaoise is the obvious place given its location, close to motorways, transport, etc mean it would be well located and could hold neutral games.
I know Laois don't need a stadium to hold 40-50k, but Leinster does and the provincial needs are big here. We have several 20-25k stadium and then an 80k stadium. We need a middle of the road venue. Games in Croke Park are boring unless there is 50k and even then it can feel empty some times.
Yes I know issues like maintenance, ownership, etc need to be resolved but is that not where lawyers, accountants and banks come in? These are issues that can be resolved and Laois get a better stadium out of it, its not exactly Wembley as it is." Those issues are much bigger than you apparently believe them to be. And no, it's not exactly Wembley. Because Wembley would in fact be much simpler. It's owned by the English FA, and they and they alone are responsible for it. O'Moore Park in Portlaoise would be much more complicated when there'd be two governing bodies involved.
Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3549 - 16/04/2026 13:15:14
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Replying To ExiledInWex: " Replying To Pikeman96: "<b>@ExiledinWex & StoreysTash</b> - My point is that it's <u>Leinster</u> that "needs" a stadium of that size. None of the individual counties need it. There's not one of us here with a county ground that's regularly bursting at the seams for home matches, and with people missing out on it due to lack of capacity.
And if the "obvious" location would be Portlaoise - Laois GAA certainly doesn't need a stadium to hold 40,000 to 45,000 people.
If Leinster GAA decided they wanted to develop O'Moore Park into a ground of that size, there'd be all sorts of issues to be resolved first, re. ownership, funding, maintenance, etc."</div>This was the point I tried to make last night.
Portlaoise is the obvious place given its location, close to motorways, transport, etc mean it would be well located and could hold neutral games.
I know Laois don't need a stadium to hold 40-50k, but Leinster does and the provincial needs are big here. We have several 20-25k stadium and then an 80k stadium. We need a middle of the road venue. Games in Croke Park are boring unless there is 50k and even then it can feel empty some times.
Yes I know issues like maintenance, ownership, etc need to be resolved but is that not where lawyers, accountants and banks come in? These are issues that can be resolved and Laois get a better stadium out of it, its not exactly Wembley as it is." You make it out as if there's something to be resolved. There is no business case for a 40-50k seater stadium outside Dublin, what so ever, when said stadium would cost a MINIMUM of €300mil to construct. The GAA do not have the financial resources to fund it what so ever. And it shows, a £15mil contribution to Casement Park tells its own story. The GAA will be doing well to maintain all the stadiums they do have have in the coming years. The plan to renovate Croke Park is costing near €70mil of which there is a proposal to borrow half from the European Investment Bank. €12 mil has already been spent. Mayo & Cork still owe millions from their stadium developments. Other county boards owe significant but smaller amounts such as Galway (c1.7mil in 2023). County boards themselves owed about €100mil in debt to various entities at the end of 2019, of this Cork made up a third.. And from recent reports it hasn't reduced significantly. It's unlikely the €100mil has reduced as Covid happened afterwards. This is not secret information, a simple Google search will give you the picture. And then look at existing stadia like Thurles... it could do with a facelift, any plan to build will cost a fortune... a 10k seater stand with corporate facilities would likely come in a 80mil... and it's a stadium that should have corporate facilities in any rebuild. Leinster Rugby have spent €60 mil on a 8k seater stand. Louth is spending €30mil on a basic 15k stadium that's not even fully seated! and Meath €21mil on a basic 5k seater stand! All in all the GAA faces some serious challenges into the future and will have to work every cent they can from gate attendances & the likes of Croke Park etc.
Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 2020 - 16/04/2026 13:22:38
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Think it's time to stop quoting posts as it's doing that messy thing here, but Square_B is spot on the money in the assessment of things here all right.
A 40,000 or more venue in Leinster simply isn't going to happen when you weigh everything up, no matter how much some think it might be "needed".
In response to Seanfan - if there was such a venue, it'd probably get the Leinster Senior Football semi-finals each year as well, and possibly the Football Final too. But even still, that'd be only about five matches per year where a 40,000 capacity venue would actually be needed. There's no business case in the world that could make that stand up when you consider the costs that would be involved.
Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3549 - 16/04/2026 14:29:18
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How many times is Pairc Ui Chaoimh full per year? It has been full about 3 times since it was renovated and two of them were Ed Sheeran.
How many times are Gaelic Grounds, Thurles, and so on full per year?
Its not proposing a fancy project, its proposing a 10-15k expansion to an live ground which is adequately sized to host games which are having the life drained out of them in Croke Park.
Either that or its time to say home and away for Leinster Finals and cry me a river if you can't get in, or play Leinster Finals in Thurles. No point playing Galway Kilkenny on a Saturday evening with 25k in Croke Park.
StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 2007 - 16/04/2026 15:29:19
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