Croke Park Stadium – Ireland

Situated in Dublin, Croke Park is the largest stadium in Ireland, and the fifth largest stadium in Europe. The ground is owned and run by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and hosts the biggest Gaelic sports events in Ireland. The stadium is currently being used to host the Ireland rugby union home games as well, while the new Lansdowne Road stadium is under construction.

Croke Park Stats

Built: 1884
Capacity: 82,500
Owner: Gaelic Athletic Association
Home side: Ireland
Cost: €260 million (redevelopment costs)

Croke Park Overview

Croke Park is the home of traditional Irish sports, and routinely hosts Gaelic football and hurling matches. The stadium has strong connections to the Irish independence movements and for decades prohibited the playing of sports associated with England, such as rugby and association football.

In recent years a more relaxed political climate has led to the stadium opening its doors to the national rugby and football teams while their own traditional home base at Lansdowne Road is being demolished and a new stadium built in its place. The facilities on offer at the stadium are world class, and Croke Park offers the highest capacity of any Six Nations stadium.

Croke Park History

Croke Park has a long and colourful history. The site for the stadium has been used to host Gaelic sports for over a hundred years, with the first permanent stands constructed in 1913. The stadium was the scene of one of the most infamous days in Irish history, Bloody Sunday, when the British Auxiliary Division stormed the stadium and opened fire on spectators during a Gaelic football match.

From 1980 to 1995 Croke Park underwent an extended period of renovation and the ground was gradually transformed into one of the most advanced high capacity stadiums in Europe. The project involved extensive rebuilding of the existing facilities over four phases, culminating in the construction of additional terraces that raised the stadium capacity to 82,500.

The Croke Park Experience

Croke Park hosted its first rugby union international in February 2007. The stadium has since been sold out for each of Six Nations matches played there. There is a strong sense of patriotism when international sports events are played at the ground, a fact that no doubt helped Ireland to their biggest ever win over England in 2008.

[[Ireland Six Nations]]