My top 5 GAA stadiums

 1. Casement Park [Antrim]



Living in County Antrim, Casement Park was always the centre of GAA with every County final being played there. Not only was it great for Gaels across the county but also for the local community with people coming from all over Ireland to watch the matches. It had an official capacity of 32,282 but closed in 2013 with plans to redevelop it into a new state of the art stadium. However what has happened from then in relation to the new stadium has been far from straight forward. In 2013 planning permission was granted for a 38,000 seater stadium but this quickly changed in 2014 when the high court brought a legal challenge by some local residents. Years past and in 2017 a new plan was put through with a 34,000 seater with the budget of 77.5 million but with the price rising to 110 million because of the the rise in materials. In the summer of  2021 big news came for the stadium with acceptance of planning permission and work is set to begin in 2022. 


2. Semple Stadium [Tipperary]








Semple stadium is located in Thurles, Tipperary and is the heart of the GAA in Tipperary and around Munster. It is the second largest stadium in Ireland with a capacity of 46,690.  This ground holds the Munster hurling finals and the Tipperary club hurling finals and the atmosphere is electric. I personally have been to Thurles on many occasions for hurling matches and it makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up with the excitement of the place. It has one of the best surfaces in Ireland and some would say its on an equal par with Croke park. Semple stadium is in a handy location as it is just 5 minutes from the train station so its easy for people all over Ireland to get to the games. 


3. Pairc ui chaoimh {Cork}







This stadium is electric on matchdays especially since its redevelopment in 2017. It now holds 45,000 people and many are calling for this stadium to host more key matches such as semi finals and finals beyond the County of Cork.  In 2017 the expected cost to rebuild the stadium was 86 million and by 2018 it would have cost 110 million which is a massive price hike. Again like Semple Stadium, Pairc ui Chaoimh is handy to get too as its a 20 minute walk from the train station. When there was no sport over the Covid pandemic Pairc ui Chaoimh opened up as a Covid test centre.

4. Nowlan Park [Kilkenny]







The home of the most renowned hurling County of all time, Kilkenny. Every team that travels to this pitch to play Kilkenny are aware of the battle that they will get and from going to games in Nowlan park myself I know how exhilarating the stadium is on gameday.  The stadium holds 30,000 fans however it feels like 100,000 with the noise that  erupts around the stadium on big game days, Similar to Pairc ui Chaoimh it operated as a Covid test centre and hopes to host the 2023 Rugby world cup. 


5. Croke Park [Dublin]








Without a doubt the best and most famous GAA ground in Ireland. This is where the All Ireland hurling & football finals takes place every year since 1891 and it is near impossible to get a ticket for the 82,300 seater stadium. It is the principle national stadium of Ireland and headquarters of the GAA and is the third largest stadium in Europe. Many GAA fans often refer to it as 'Croker'. It is a major tourist attraction for anyone interested in GAA and an average 1.5 million people  each year take the tour of Croke Park stadium and adjoining museum to view the historic Hurling and Gaelic cups on display and to find out information on the history of the games and details on the best players of both codes to have graced our stadiums over the years,  Croke Park had the terrible atrocity of Bloody Sunday in 21 November 1920 when 13 innocent spectators were killed by the Royal Irish constabulary. Hill 16 was constructed on the railway end of Croke Park  to give patrons a better view of the pitch. The terrace was originally known as Hill 60 but was renamed Hill 16 in memory of the 1916 Easter Rising. The other spectator stands in Croke Park are the Hogan, Cusack and Nally stands. While Croke is certainly the home of GAA, it has also opened its doors to host some major international concerts including U2, Coldplay and Bruce Springsteen. Also, in 2006 there was also an agreement with the FAI and Irish Rugby Union to host the Six Nations games and soccer internationals, shocking!

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