Páirc Uí Chaoimh and Gaelic Grounds to open as Covid-19 test centres

Croke Park and Nowlan Park are also being repurposed as drive-thru test centres.

Páirc Uí Chaoimh and LIT Gaelic Grounds will be used by the HSE as coronavirus test centres.

Croke Park opened as a drive-thru testing facility for the Covid-19 virus on St Patrick's Day after a request by the HSE, with work currently underway at Nowlan Park to establish another test centre in Kilkenny.

3 Inf Bn personnel and equipment assisting @HSELive eatablish a COVID-19 test centre in Nowlan Park Kilkenny. #Strengthenthenation #OglaighnahEireann #IrishArmy pic.twitter.com/Bt9La6ezRw

— 3 Infantry Battalion (@3_Inf_Bn) March 20, 2020

Cork GAA announced the move this morning, saying further details will be provided by the HSE in due course. It's expected the ground will operate as a drive-thru test centre.

With all matches postponed, the stadium was made available to the HSE after the county board's offices were closed to implement remote working.

It was later confirmed that LIT Gaelic Grounds in Limerick will act as a drive-thru centre.

"We at Limerick GAA have also offered the HSE the use of our other facilities if needed as we all come together during this Covid-19 crisis," they said in a statement.

Croke Park is expected to eventually handle close to 400 cars a day, with eight cars processed every 15 minutes, meaning a minimum of 400 coronavirus tests.

The tests are conducted by appointment only, with tests arranged by GP referral.

The extra facilities will exponentially increase the State’s current testing capacity as the virus continues to spread.

In Cork, the St Mary’s Health Campus in Gurranabraher has been operating as a drive-in testing facility since last week.

- Updated with extra detail at 1.30pm.