Dalymount Park is set to undergo an extensive renovation. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
Bohemians are the big winners in the allocation of the Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF) with government ministers set to announce on Monday morning that they are committing €24.7 million towards the completion of the project.
And Sligo Rovers are also celebrating after securing €16.4 million towards their plans to transform The Showgrounds into a ‘modern multi sport stadium with community accessible indoor facilities.’
Ministers Catherine Martin and Thomas Byrne will hold a Monday morning conference at Dalymount Park to announce the pre-election handout totalling €173m across all codes.
It reflects that Bohs have secured the biggest portion of the pot, an announcement that was expected but will still be a considerable relief to fans of the Gypsies considering that the new Dalymount was originally pencilled in as a Euro 2020 legacy project but has met with various delays along the way.
Members were informed at an EGM on Sunday that good news was on the way and that moving out of Dalymount in the middle of 2026 is the most likely scenario.
They have yet to confirm where they will play as a temporary base, while a brand new complex that is expected to come in at around €40m is brought to life with a complete demolition of the Phisborough venue and a reorientated pitch central aspects of the creation of a four-sided 8,000 capacity UEFA Category 3 stadium.
Dublin City Council are the partners in the project; they bought Dalymount off Bohs in 2015. There were plans to house Shelbourne in Dublin 7 but they opted to stay in Tolka Park.
Like Bohs, Sligo Rovers are a fan-owned club and their masterplan has received widespread political support since it was launched. The late Tommie Gorman was a big help in his final days, with Taoiseach Simon Harris visiting The Showgrounds to have a look at their plans.
Elsewhere from a League of Ireland perspective, Wexford FC have received a €2m boost tied in with their plans to move to a new base closer to the town. They will have to move out of their Ferrycarrig Park home because of the M11 motorway extension.
Tallaght Stadium has received €650,000 for the upgrade of floodlights at the base of Shamrock Rovers, which is also regularly used for women’s internationals and underage games.