Ireland’s cricketers are set to get a new national stadium and high performance centre
Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom has described the Irish government’s decision to develop a national stadium as significant as when they were awarded full member status by the ICC.
The “approval has been given to commence the planning and design phase of this exciting project”, per a statement from the Irish government on Wednesday.
The stadium, which will hold around 4,000 people, is due to be completed in 2028, with the planning and design completed by mid-2025 and the tender going out shortly after that.
As well as a national stadium, there will also be a high performance centre built on the site at Blanchardstown on the north-west side of Dublin and will also help with hosting the T20 World Cup with England and Scotland in 2030.
“It is a huge tribute to everybody involved at all levels in Irish cricket who have got us to the stage whereby the government genuinely regards us as a sport of national significance worthy of major investment,” said Deutrom.
“These facilities will help drive the sport forward – they will significantly assist our highest performing players nationally and provincially to prepare, train and perform better on the world stage.
“It’s going to take time to get there – likely three, maybe even four years, until we begin to use it, but today’s announcement fires the starting pistol on the project.
“It means we’re going to be using much less temporary infrastructure, which means we can put that money instead into people and programmes – and allow us to focus investment into club and regional facilities and infrastructure through our new club fund – to help grow the game.”
Chairman Brian MacNeice gave his thanks to the Irish government and Sport Ireland for their assistance, adding: “This investment will help shape our future as a sport and support our ambitions to be a major sport in Ireland, and a major nation in world cricket.”