Redeveloped St Conleth’s Park Stadium officially opened
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From: Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
- Published on: 29 October 2024
- Last updated on: 29 October 2024
• Home of Kildare GAA received €6 million in State funding under the first round of the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (‘LSSIF 2018’)
• Minister Thomas Byrne in attendance to officially open the redeveloped St. Conleth’s Park Stadium
• LSSIF-backed redevelopment includes a new 3,000-Seater Stand, pitch upgrades and enhanced player and official facilities
Catherine Martin T.D., Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, and Thomas Byrne T.D., Minister of State for Sport, Physical Education and the Gaeltacht, have welcomed the official opening of the redeveloped St Conleth’s Park in Newbridge on Sunday, 27th October 2024.
Significant support for this project, totaling €6,031,960, was provided by the Department under its Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF).
The LSSIF-backed project comprises the provision of a new state of the art stand with 3,000 seats, with upgraded facilities for players and officials. A new entrance plaza and new turnstiles, as well as significant improvements to the playing surface, along with newly-fitted floodlights, have also been developed.
Minister Catherine Martin commented:
“As a Government, we are determined to invest in our sporting infrastructure, and the opening of this project is a further demonstration of this commitment. I want to congratulate all those involved in the development of this magnificent facility, it is a testament to their hard work and dedication bringing the project to fruition. The upgraded facilities will undoubtedly provide a state-of-the-art sport’s venue for players, supporters and the community can gather and enjoy our traditional games for many years to come.”
Speaking at the official opening in Kildare today, Minister Thomas Byrne said:
“It is great to be at St Conleth’s Park today for the official opening of the redeveloped stadium. Today marks a new era for Kildare GAA and it is wonderful to see the development of this new state-of-the-art stadium which everybody in the county and local GAA community should take pride in. I want to commend everyone involved in bringing this incredible project to fruition."
“As Minister of State for Sport, I am delighted that the Department’s Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund was in a position to provide substantial funding for the development of this ambitious project. I look forward to seeing players and fans enjoying the use of these superb facilities in the times ahead.”
ENDS
Editor’s Notes
Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF);
LSSIF 2018:
The National Sports Policy, published in 2018, provided for a new Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). The aim of this fund is to provide Exchequer support for larger sports projects and facilities where the required Exchequer investment is greater than the maximum amount available under the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP). €124 million was awarded to 33 different proposals under this first round.
New Round: LSSIF 2024
Catherine Martin T.D., Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, and Thomas Byrne T.D., Minister of State for Sport, Physical Education and the Gaeltacht, announced funding of up to €120m under the second round of the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF), which opened for applications on the 26th of April 2024. Assessment of applications, for funding of between €600,000 and €30m, will take into account population size, sustainability, and ensuring that similar access is provided to accommodate access by men and women to LSSIF-funded facilities. Applications closed on July 1st and valid applications are now being assessed by officials.