IRFU Present New Stadium Plans

IRFU Chief Executive Philip Browne and Union representatives that included Noel Murphy met sports minister John O’Donoghue yesterday to present their plans for a new stadium. That plan is to demolish Lansdowne Road and rebuild it as a 50,000 capacity stadium to accommodate rugby and soccer.

The present structure would have to be demolished and the the new stadium would run from north to south as it does at the moment. The east and west stands would go but both Lansdowne and Wanderers rugby clubs, who are co-tenants, would still be accommodated on the oldest international ground in the world.

It is expected that the total cost would be in the region of 250 million. According to the plans the new stadium would be a bowl-shaped stadium, based on the McAlpine Stadium in Huddersfield, England. The stands would be rebuilt and those on the north and south sides of the ground would be single tier structures, thereby not causing any nuisance to local residents. It would be a environmentally-friendly stadium which would take about two years to complete.