National Cricket stadium could boost the popularity of the sport once more across the country

The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD, and the Minister of State for Sport, Physical Education and the Gaeltacht, Thomas Byrne TD, today announced approval for the National Cricket Stadium and High Performance Centre project to proceed to pre-tender phase.

This will see planning and design completed by mid-2025 with the tender phase to follow.

The sport was hugely popular across Tipperary in the early 1800s and right up to the formation of the GAA. Many parishes had teams and many clubs formed where GAA exist today. Following the 1884 formation of the GAA cricket dropped in popularity however many of the early players were highly competent cricket players.

Kilkenny, Cork, Limerick and other prominent hurling counties as well as Tipperary were also huge cricket bases and now the sport is experiencing a resurgence across the country. 

 This new Centre, which will be located in the National Sports Campus in Blanchardstown, will deliver a permanent home for cricket in Ireland that meets International Cricket Council requirements for hosting major cricket events and competitions. 

 It is anticipated that the proposed facilities would include both indoor and outdoor practice and training areas and an arena for holding major games with associated media and spectator facilities. This would enable Ireland to host major international cricket events.

It is intended that the overall project will be delivered on a phased basis, with Phase 1 scheduled to be completed in 2028. This first phase includes the delivery of a main cricket oval, seating for 4000 spectators, a high performance centre and some ancillary facilities. 

Minister Martin said: “While cricket is a sport with really deep roots in Ireland, it’s also a sport that reflects the diversity and plurality of today’s society. It is really pleasing to see how the sport has grown, at all levels, in Ireland over recent years, particularly the increase in female participation numbers and among our growing community from South Asia.

“A National Stadium and High Performance Centre will provide Cricket Ireland with the facilities required to further grow participation numbers.” 

 “This new Centre will also address the need to provide playing, training and practice facilities to enable Ireland’s elite teams to compete at the highest international levels. As we enjoy the success of Team Ireland athletes at the Olympics in Paris, we look forward to the return of cricket as an Olympic sport in Los Angeles in 2028.

“I have no doubt that this new facility will deliver a transformational impact on Irish cricket and, as a result, we will be cheering on Irish teams at Olympic Games in the not too distant future.” 

In addition, Minister Byrne said: “Continued Government investment is essential to increasing participation levels in all sports, across all sectors of society. We understand that in order to achieve our participation targets, we must provide world-class sporting facilities for our athletes. 

“The development of international standard facilities is also necessary to enable Ireland to act as a host nation for major international sports events and competitions.”