Diggers move in to flatten Lansdowne

IT was an historic occasion for rugby and soccer fans yesterday as the demolition of the old Lansdowne Road stadium got under way.

Terraces crumbled as the diggers moved in to flatten the arena which is undergoing a €350m redevelopment.

The South Terrace was the first to be knocked to the ground, in what will be seven months of works in removing the pitch and stands from the skyline.

Construction of a new 50,000 seater stadium will begin next May, opening for matches in 2010.

Arts and Sport Minister John O’Donoghue, the FAI’s John Delaney and Philip Browne, of the IRFU, watched on as the ground took her final bow.

“This is another milestone in the long history of Lansdowne Road,” said Mr Browne.

“After the various delays, we are delighted to see this project get under way in earnest and I know that Irish rugby supporters will be proud of their new stadium when it is complete.”

Built in the leafy suburb of Ballsbridge, Lansdowne Road is the world’s oldest international stadium.

It first opened as a multipurpose sports venue in 1872, hosting its first international rugby between Ireland and England in 1878.

The original cost of leasing the grounds from the Pembroke Estate in 1908 was the princely sum of £50 per annum – a far cry from today’s rates in Dublin’s most exclusive postcode.

Although the main contract for the construction of the new stadium is still being tendered, Project Management Group, Ireland’s largest project management firm, are managing the overall project.