Updated Cusack Stand among medium-term GAA infrastructure projects

PROJECT: An updated Cusack Stand in Croke Park is expected to be among medium-term GAA infrastructure projects. Pic: Ray McManus/Sportsfile

An updated Cusack Stand in Croke Park is expected to be among medium-term GAA infrastructure projects.

As Waterford’s Walsh Park reopened last Sunday after the first of three phases of redevelopment was completed, the long-awaited redevelopment of Casement Park and rebuilds in Navan’s Páirc Tailteann and Newbridge’s St Conleth’s Park are other prioritised capital projects.

As well as the construction of a second hotel close to GAA HQ on Clonliffe College grounds built by the association, it is anticipated the Cusack Stand will require a facelift in the coming years.

Redeveloped in time to be opened for 1996 for the price of £35 million (€62.75 million), the stand has a capacity of approximately 27,000.

Speaking two years ago, GAA director general Tom Ryan dismissed media reports that the GAA would avail of European Investment Bank funding to upgrade the stand.

Ryan confirmed they discovered in ’21 that they had successfully applied for that money but had in fact parked the plan at the outset of the pandemic. In 2019, GAA stadium and commercial director Peter McKenna spoke of the new hotel complementing a Cusack Stand redevelopment.

Kerry GAA remain determined to redevelop Fitzgerald Stadium with a cost benefit analysis report currently being compiled on the Killarney venue. The county board have estimated it will cost €72.5 million to reconstruct the Upper Lewis Road site. It is envisaged a two-tier stand will be erected on the Michael O’Connor Terrace and a single tier stand replacing the existing O’Sullivan Stand.

Board officials believe the stadium can be a year-round attraction with multi-purpose facilities and attractions particularly for tourists. They have met with concert promoters and have explored the possibility of hosting an annual American football game.

As they reach the closing stages of developing their training grounds in the adjacent Dr Morris Park, Tipperary are also keen to revamp the Kinane Stand in FBD Semple Stadium. Prior to the pandemic, the board had outlined a project to refit the stand in Thurles and estimated it would cost €10m.

Limerick have made it clear too that their Mackey Stand in LIT Gaelic Grounds, rebuilt in 1988 and given a cosmetic upgrade in 2018, is in need of an overhaul. Speaking in his annual report last December, county secretary Mike O’Riordan wrote: “The Mackey Stand will require replacement in the short term, and the open stand will also need to be covered in some fashion.” 

A number of counties feel the GAA should be as ambitious as the FAI in calling for Government support to finance outdated facilities. In June, the FAI requested €517m over 15 years.