Oriel Park

Oriel Park

Páirc Airgíalla Home of Football
Location	Oriel Park, Carrickmacross Road, Dundalk, County Louth
Public transit	Dundalk railway station
Owner	Casey family
Capacity	4,500 (3,000 seated)
Record attendance	22,000
Field size	70 m x 106 m
Surface	Grass (1919–2005) FieldTurf (2005–)
Construction
Opened	1919
Construction cost	Unknown
Tenants
Dundalk F.C. (1926-present)

Oriel Park is a multi-purpose stadium in Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland. It is used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of Dundalk F.C. Its current capacity is about 4,500 with 3,000 seats.[1] The ground was opened in 1919.

History

In February 2005, Dundalk F.C. announced a major programme for a complete revamp of Oriel Park. The pitch was converted to an all-weather surface (the first Irish club to do so) costing 1.5 million euro.

In December 2006 Dundalk applied for planning permission to Dundalk Town Council for a Youth Development/Coaching Centre. The general facilities are to include an underground car parking, gymnasium, disabled training facilities, dressing rooms,. games rooms, media control centre, multipurpose hall and associated services at Oriel Park. This is believed to have cost the club in the region of €5 million. Further plans are being made to upgrade the main stand, changing areas and bar facilities.

In early 2007 the roof of the stand needed to be repaired due to storm damage. Other work completed before the start of the season included new dressing rooms and a temporary covered terrace. Recent redevelopments at Oriel Park include the sale of land for housing development and European safety regulations have reduced the capacity of the ground from 12,200 to 6,000.

The stadium has also hosted three Republic of Ireland under-21 national football team games [2] and other international underage games, including games in the 1994 UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship.

Redevelopment

With Dundalk's qualification for the 2010-11 UEFA Europa League, the club decided to undertake a major redevelopment which includes increasing the number of seats in the ground to 3,000. The work being carried out will mean the stadium will be upgraded to a Level 2 Stadium by UEFA and thus European matches will be able to be held there in the future as well as under-age internationals. The main stand now holds 1,100 while the terracing in front of and either side of the main stand has been fitted with 900 seats. The seats added to the "shed" side of the ground brings the seated capacity up to 3,000.

Youth Development Complex

During the 2009-10 season, Dundalk F.C. built a youth development complex behind the "shed" for an undisclosed amount. The complex has been used not just for the club but has hosted the 2010 European Senior Badminton Cup and various "Fight Nights" for Gaelic football teams in the Dundalk area.

See also

• Stadiums of Ireland

External links

• Oriel Park
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tm2GJ_tB7zM Video tour of the ground