The Most Iconic Sports Venues to Visit When in Ireland

Irish people love not only participating in sports but also watching them. There are lots of large venues where different sporting events are held.

A view of the Croke Park; Credit: Twitter@CrokePark
By Karthik Raman | Nov 30, 2022 | 3 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

In Ireland, sports such as football, golf, cycling, snooker, and hurling are among the biggest sports. Irish people love not only participating in sports but also watching them. There are lots of large venues where different sporting events are held. Carry on reading to see what some of the best ones are.

Croke Park

Located in Dublin, Croke Park is known as Croker by locals and fans of the Gaelic Athletic Association games that are played there. It has a capacity of 82,300 and opened in 1880, with a renovation taking place in ​​2004. The design is three-tiered, enabling all spectators to have clear views of the action. It’s currently the third-largest stadium in all of Europe.

Ballybrit Racecourse

This racecourse can be found in the town of Ballybrit, which isn’t too far from Galway. It has two main stands and hosts the Galway Races Festival every August. The race track itself is a mile and three furlongs in length. What’s remarkable about it is that it has the closest two fences of any racecourse in the world. These fences are situated in between a sharp decline and a rather steep incline. Races have been held here since 1869. 

Dalymount Park

This football stadium is the home ground of Bohemian F. C. It’s located in Dublin on the north side of the River Liffey. It was constructed in 1901 and renovated in 1999. Throughout its history, it hosted a number of key international matches, such as UEFA Champions League qualifiers and FAI Cup finals. For many years, it was considered to be the home of Irish football. However, ongoing problems with the land and other issues resulted in its decline. Nowadays, it’s mostly used for Bohemian F. C.’s home games.

Semple Stadium

This is Ireland’s second-largest Gaelic Athletics Association stadium after Croke Park. It has a capacity of 45,690 (with 24,000 spectators seated) and opened back in 1910. There are two main stands, both of which are covered, and two viewing terraces that are uncovered. Gaelic football and hurling are the two main sports hosted here. The stadium, which is located in Thurles, is the main centre of hurling in the province of Munster.

The Aviva Stadium

Having opened in 2010, the Aviva Stadium is suitably modern in design. It’s located in Dublin and was built on the site of the former Lansdowne Stadium, therefore, many people refer to it as ‘Lansdowne Road’. The owners are the Irish Rugby Football Union and the Football Association of Ireland. Rugby union and association football are the stadium’s main sports, though American football games have also been hosted. 

Conclusion

The atmosphere produced in stadiums is what makes sports so special and enjoyed by billions of people around the world. There’s nothing like the atmosphere of a stadium on match day, it just feels more authentic to be there together with thousands of fans around. It’s just like how some people find live dealer games Ireland more authentic than the animated online casino games, it’s just more of an immersive experience. The regular matchday attendees and true sports fans definitely know what we’re talking about on this one. As for those who have never been to a stadium to watch a game in person, it might be time to start considering it. Visit any of the stadiums listed above, you’re bound to have an enjoyable and unforgettable experience, especially if it’s your first time.