Louth GAA Reeling as Dundalk Stadium Project Snubbed in €173m Sports Infrastructure Grants
Ardee News and Sport – Louth GAA officials are in shock following the news that their long-planned stadium project in Dundalk has been left out of the Government’s recent €173 million Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). Despite applying for a €7.2 million grant, the Louth County Board’s request was not among the 35 projects receiving funding, leaving local leaders frustrated and the future of the ambitious project uncertain.
The GAA in Louth had been pushing for funding to build a 14,000-capacity stadium on Dundalk’s Inner Relief Road, setting a goal to provide a modern, accessible venue for county matches and community events. The project had initially received significant local and international support, raising €14.8 million through the Immigrant Investor Programme before it was discontinued, as well as over €1 million from a house draw fundraiser. With the estimated stadium cost at €23.5 million, officials had hoped for government assistance to bridge the funding gap.
Louth GAA had viewed government support as a pivotal piece in the stadium’s financial puzzle. Plans relied on receiving grants from both the Government and Croke Park to cover a substantial portion of the costs, leaving the county board responsible for raising the remaining €5.2 million, including a proposed club levy set to start next spring. However, the news that the Louth application was not included in the latest round of LSSIF grants came as a serious blow.
“It’s deeply disappointing,” said a spokesperson for the Louth County Board. “We were confident that our project aligned well with the fund’s goals and that our community could count on government support to help us build this much-needed facility. This setback affects not only the GAA community but all residents of Louth who would benefit from having a state-of-the-art stadium.”
Adding to the frustration, Louth GAA was aware that other ‘Centre of Excellence’ projects within the GAA, particularly stadium renovations, were prioritized in the LSSIF allocation. While this was anticipated, officials had hoped their project would rank highly in terms of stadium development due to the lack of comparable facilities in the area.
In contrast to Louth’s rejection, Kerry’s Fitzgerald Stadium, which already holds 39,000 seats, received €6 million for redevelopment. Similarly, Austin Stack Park in Tralee, with a 15,000 capacity, was allocated funds. The only project in Louth to receive backing was a €7.2 million multi-purpose basketball arena at St. Oliver’s Community College in Drogheda.
The funding news comes just ahead of next week’s November meeting of the Louth County Board, where stadium funding and the government’s decision are expected to be hot topics. Stadium Committee members are reportedly “livid” at being left out after what they believed were strong indications of support. Club delegates are anticipated to ask tough questions about the next steps in light of this major financial setback.
Without the grant, Louth GAA will need to reassess its financial projections and timeline for the project. Phase one of the project, which called for raising €1.25 million locally, is now under review, with additional fundraising and possible restructuring of the project on the table.
As the dust settles, local leaders are calling for greater transparency around the criteria for LSSIF funding, questioning how long-planned projects like theirs, critical to under-served communities, could be overlooked.