This level of Government funding is unprecedented for a sporting project in the north-west. It represents one of the most significant grant awards to a League of Ireland Club and will see the delivery of a new regional multi-sport stadium, the first UEFA Category 3 Stadium outside Dublin.
The development will increase the seated capacity of the Showgrounds to 6,129 and entails major modernization of stadium facilities.
This will include a new grass based hybrid pitch, which will accommodate other sports and activities, new stands on the Church Hill and Jinks’ Avenue ends, upgrades to the Treacy Avenue and Railway end stands, new hospitality areas, fan zones, meeting rooms, gymnasium, club merchandise shop, media area and a new club museum.
New visiting supporter seating will be provided in the Jinks Avenue stand with associated food and beverage facilities. The new stadium will also meet the requirements for modern TV broadcasts.
Sligo Rovers Chairman Tommy Higgins said: “This is a momentous day for everyone in Sligo and an exciting one for our Sligo Rovers fanbase in Sligo, Leitrim, Mayo, Donegal, Roscommon and indeed throughout Ireland.
“We have experienced nothing but full co-operation and encouragement from our own community, our local authority, local TDs and Senior Government Ministers, and for this we are very grateful.
Due primarily to the efforts of our late colleague Tommie Gorman, we were able to present detailed briefings in the Showgrounds to Taoiseach Simon Harris, Tanaiste Micheal Martin, Ministers Catherine Martin, Heather Humphreys and Thomas Byrne. We also briefed Minister for Finance Jack Chambers.
“We especially thank Minister Catherine Martin for her sustained and supportive interest in our project and whose Department prioritised our application and recommended the grant award.
“We are deeply appreciative of the contribution made by Frank Feighan, TD, in particular his practical advice and guidance, and his representations on our behalf, as we pursue the significant investment we need to make our stadium development plan a reality.
Digitised image of what the Showgrounds could look like.
“We would like to thank the FAI for its national ranking and valued support, especially Mark Scanlon, Walter Holloran, FAI adviser Tim Tuomey and the FAI Board, who all took a deep interest in our project.
“Another valuable contributor is Special Olympics Ireland, who awarded us a national ranking and we thank Myra Merrick for her assistance and support. Sligo County Council agreed to act as the project sponsor and awarded the project local priority ranking – we particularly acknowledge the help given by Martin Lydon, Chief Executive and Dorothy Clarke, Director of Services.”
Sligo Rovers Development Officer Mark Cummins acknowledged the contribution of the many individuals and agencies involved in the project.
“We had an exceptional support team in place at every stage of the very detailed application process, Design Team lead Gavin Phelan of Rhatigan’s Architects, Enda Candon of First Western Consultants, and within the Club, Shona Heffernan and Jamie Murphy. Tom Kelly on our Project Team coordinated all the various elements of the detailed submission with great professionalism.
“We have an excellent working relationship with Chair Albert Higgins and the Showgrounds Trustee Board, they have a hugely important remit in preserving the Showgrounds as a sporting and community facility, sharing our conviction that this development will be a major boost for the club and the people of Sligo and the north-west.”
Sligo Rovers Secretary Brendan Lacken reaffirmed the support of the FAI (the FAI Board and David Courell, CEO) and Special Olympics Ireland (Matt English, CEO), who committed their support for the project by awarding it a priority ranking within their respective strategies for the development of their sports.
“It also enhanced our application to receive letters of support from those two organisations, along with Cairn National Community Games (David Hoysted, CEO), Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership, (Deirdre Lavin, CEO), Sligo Business Improvement District (BID), (Gail McGibbon, CEO) and Sligo Volunteer Centre (Geraldine McCloat, ACE Officer).”
Fine Gael Deputy Frank Feighan added: “This funding is a strong statement of commitment by this Government to the Northwest. It will be of huge benefit to the town and the wider Sligo Rovers community around the Northwest.
“The funding will not only improve the sporting facilities at the Showgrounds but will also provide all the fans, kids who attend camps and academies, the club’s volunteers, and visitors to have the best Showgrounds’ experience possible. Even the construction stage itself will be a boost to the local economy.”
Deputy Feighan also commended Rovers’ chairman Tommy Higgins, the management committee and its development committee on all their hard work and vision over the past three years in preparing this project, securing the planning permission, and submitting a comprehensive grant application.
“This €16.4 million in funding is the result of a huge effort by so many people and groups including Sligo County Council who prioritized and sponsored the LSSIF application, the Sligo Showgrounds Foundation who ensure that the grounds will always remain in community ownership, and also the FAI and Special Olympics Ireland who awarded the Showgrounds stadium project a priority ranking in their respective sports development strategies,” he added.
“I’d also like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the late, great Tommie Gorman, well-known for his passion (or obsession) for Rovers, who dedicated so much of his time to this application right up until his untimely passing earlier this year, and I know that he will be smiling down on the Showgrounds now delighted with the news. It’s a wonderful legacy of all his hard work and passion.”
Now that the funding has been secured, the club will appoint a Project Team, reporting to the Club Management Committee, to oversee and manage all aspects of the development project including legal, financial, technical, procurement, contracts, handover/certification, co-ordination with ongoing operations and community engagement.
The Project Team will be made up of club officials and external experts working in a voluntary capacity.
During 2025 the Design Team will finalize the detailed design of the stadium and will tender the construction works.
Sligo Rovers will now move to appoint a Project Team.
The club expects to appoint a building contractor and specialist sub contractors in the fourth quarter of 2025 with works commencing in early 2026.
The design team estimate that the overall stadium works will take 21 months to complete.
The laying of the new pitch will cause the most significant disruption to the continued operation of the stadium as the new grass based pitch installation cannot be done in the off season.
The pitch will most likely be unavailable for 4 months mid season and the club will need to negotiate the rescheduling of home games with the FAI and the other LoI clubs for this period. This is likely to happen in 2026.
In the interim, the club has recently been awarded €376,000 by Government under the Community Facilities Programme to carry out further improvements at the Showgrounds, most notably the final phase of the floodlights on the Treacy Avenue side and the renewal of the astro pitch playing surface.
It is intended that these works will be completed in 2025.
And in 2028, in time for the centenary anniversary of the founding of Sligo Rovers, the new era will commence with the full opening of the new Sligo Showgrounds stadium, and we look forward to welcoming our current supporters and attracting new ones as we seek to continue the proud heritage, history and achievements of the Bit O’ Red.