St Conleth's Park
Páirc Naoimh Conlaith | |
 | |
Interactive map of St Conleth's Park | |
| Location | Newbridge, County Kildare, W12 X067, Ireland |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 53°10′45.88″N 6°47′39.77″W / 53.1794111°N 6.7943806°W |
| Owner | Kildare GAA |
| Capacity | 15,000 (3,000 seated)[1] Capacity history
|
| Surface | grass |
Field size | 137 × 80 m (150 × 87 yds) |
Field shape | rectangle |
| Public transit | Newbridge railway station |
Cedral St Conleth's Park (Irish: Páirc Naoimh Conlaith) is a GAA stadium in Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland. It is the county ground of Kildare's Gaelic football, hurling, and Ladies' Gaelic Football teams.
The park is named for Conleth (Conláed; c. AD 450–519), the parish's patron saint.
History
Formerly the site of Newbridge Barracks, it served as the town's greyhound racing track from 1948 until 1968.[3]
The controversy known as "Newbridge or Nowhere" surrounding a Gaelic football match played in the 2018 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship between Kildare and Mayo took place at St Conleth's Park in June 2018.[4]
In May 2023, following a naming-rights agreement, the venue was branded as "Cedral St Conleth's Park", Formally known as Tegral, Cedral are part of the global building materials group Etex.
Ground
The ground formerly had a capacity of 13,000, but following a health and safety audit in 2011, this was reduced to 8,000[5] and subsequently to 6,200.[6] In 2024 the redevelopment was completed bringing the capacity of the stadium to 15,000, including 3,000 seats in a newly constructed stand.[1] State-of-the-art floodlights were also installed.[1]
Greyhound racing
Greyhound racing at St Conleth's Park started on 30 April 1948.[7] After only one year the GAA governing body banned racing around all of their pitches which meant the greyhound racing was suspended.[8] However it restarted on 21 June 1950 with racing taking place over race distances of 310, 350, 525 and 550 yards and 350 yards hurdles. The racing lasted a further eighteen years up until 1968, when it was decided that the greyhound operation would be better suited outside of the town at venue where racing could take place on a purpose built stadium. That stadium was Newbridge Greyhound Stadium which opened in 1972.[9]
Track records
| Yards | Greyhound | Time | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 310 | Feale Ranger | 17.65 | 14.06.1961 |
| 350 | P For Poor | 19.88 | 03.07.1953 |
| 550 | Claverstown Flower | 31.89 | 05.10.1957 |
| 350 H | Chestnut Bridge | 21.08 | 11.10.1950 |
| 350 H | Jigger Lee | 21.08 | 20.11.1950 |
See also
References
- 1 2 3 "St Conleth's Park reopens for Naas-Celbridge clash in Kildare senior football final". Irish Times. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
- ↑ Farrell, Sinead (21 July 2018). "Newbridge Silverware! 'All the pubs were full. It reminded me of Italia 90'". RTE. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
- ↑ "A long and proud history in Newbridge". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ "Newbridge or Nowhere saga represented 'a feeling within the grassroots of the GAA' says former Kildare manager Cian O'Neill". RTÉ. 1 June 2020.
- ↑ "Lilies Chief Disgusted at Neutral Venue for Qualifier", Irish Independent, 17 July 2012
- ↑ "Leinster Counties Urged to Improve Grounds", Irish Examiner, 12 December 2012
- ↑ Genders, Roy (1975). The Greyhound and Racing Greyhound. Page Brothers (Norwich). ISBN 0-85020-0474.
- ↑ Comyn, John. 50 Years of Greyhound Racing in Ireland. Aherlow Publishers Ltd.
- ↑ Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
