Bohemians and Sligo welcome €41m of Government funding

FUNDING BOOST: Bohemians, Sligo Rovers and Wexford will be the big winners from Monday’s unveiling of Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Funding (LSSIF) grants. Pic: Ben McShane/Sportsfile

Bohemians have welcomed the “final step” of their plans to redevelop Dalymount Park after securing €24.7m under the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Funding (LSSIF) scheme.

As revealed by the Irish Examiner on Sunday night, Bohemians, along with Sligo Rovers (€16.4m) and Wexford (€2m), were the major League of Ireland winners from these Government grants.

The FAI had listed seven clubs but only three will be supported in their stadia projects, albeit Shamrock Rovers will benefit from the €650,000 assigned to South Dublin County Council for the upgrading of Tallaght Stadium’s floodlights.

Dalymount – home of the Irish team before Lansdowne Road – has long required an overhaul, with Bohemians unable to meet demand for ticket-holders due to capacity restrictions.

Their project is being led by Dublin City Council, who are to provide the balance of the projected €42m cost. It had been planned for Shelbourne to share the new Dalymount but a supporter uprising led to them remaining at Tolka Park. Bohs may end up sharing Tolka temporarily for two years during the construction phase.

“This is the final step in a long and complex process that the club has been engaged in since 2011 when the stadium’s future was uncertain,” said Bohs in their statement on Monday, as Government ministers used Dalymount as the scene to unveil the €173m bonanza, almost 50% more than the original pot.

President Matt Devaney said about the 8,000-seater project: “With funding now secured to complete the Dalymount redevelopment, we look forward to having a modern stadium with increased capacity that will serve Bohs and the broader area for years to come.

“I would like to thank Dublin City Council and all those across the political landscape who have got us to this point.”

Sligo also expressed their gratitude at their windfall. “Due primarily to the efforts of our late colleague Tommie Gorman, we were able to present detailed briefings in the Showgrounds to Taoiseach Simon Harris, Tanaiste Micheal Martin, Ministers Catherine Martin, Heather Humphreys and Thomas Byrne,” said Chairman Tommy Higgins.

The project provides for the development of a multi-sport stadium to UEFA Category 3 and World Rugby standards for the hosting of soccer, rugby and other sports, delivering a seating capacity of 6,129.

Wexford, with their men’s team in the First Division and women’s in the Premier, were assigned €2m towards their new ground. Their current Ferrycarrig Park base has been earmarked for being part of the M11 motorway extension, necessitating a move to nearer Wexford town.

Drogheda United’s new stadium plans, as well as Galway United’s training base in Athenry, a joint-venture with Athenry Swans Hockey Club, were overlooked. So too were Shelbourne and Treaty United.

With the election looming, likely Friday November 29, politicians are in full canvassing mode – with this announcement following hot on the heels of the Sports Capital Programme in September.