Trinity buys Iveagh Grounds for development of sports facilities

The 17 acre site is situated in Crumlin

 

Trinity has bought the Iveagh Grounds for the development of student sports facilities. The deal will see Trinity students benefit from a combined total of 50 acres of such facilities split between both the Trinity campus and off of it.

The 17 acre site situated in Crumlin already include GAA, rugby, bowls, tennis and hockey pitches. It is also among the largest sporting grounds close to the city centre. Trinity bought the grounds from Diageo, who both announced the deal earlier today.

Provost Patrick Prendergast hopes this recent development will optimise the link between academic achievement and involvement in fulfilling sports programmes. Speaking on the newly acquired land, Prendergast stated: “Sports is at the heart of the Trinity experience. It is an essential co-curricular activity and we want to optimise the connection between academic achievement and involvement in meaningful sporting programmes. The acquisition of this great sports facility will enable us further in achieving this.”

“We look forward to presenting the development plans for the sports facility to our students, staff, alumni and external partners in the near future.”

Trinity’s head of sport, Michelle Tanner, believes the newly acquired grounds will increase student participation in sports whilst at Trinity. “Our vision is to create a hub of outdoor sports facilities that fulfils existing and future demand, engages, attracts and increases activities at participation and performance levels for students and serves the needs of the community sporting groups.”

The Iveagh grounds will join the campus sports pitches, which are College Park on the Trinity campus which provides facilities for soccer, hockey and rugby, and the 34-acre Santry Sports Grounds with natural grass soccer, GAA, rugby and hockey pitches as well as floodlit pitches and training areas.

The Iveagh grounds were initially established for Guinness workers in 1928. Up until the acquisition the grounds were managed by the Guinness Athletic Union (GAU). It is planned that clubs affiliated with the GAU will enjoy continued access to the facilities at preferential rates.

Cian Mac Lochlainn

Cian Mac Lochlainn is an Economics and Politics student, and a Contributing Writer for Trinity News.