Following almost 5 years of negotiation involving Dunlaoire-Rathdown County Council, the Dublin County Board and the local GAA clubs in the County, the ‘state-of-the-art’ all-weather, synthetic, flood-lit GAA pitch in Stepaside was officially opened on Friday, 8th June 2012.
The opening ceremony took place in weather conditions that underlined the need for an all-weather facility with the rain bucketing down. Cuala-man and DLR Cathaoirleach John Bailey did the honours and the pitch will be available to patrons over the coming weeks. “As a GAA man, I am delighted to open this wonderful facility and to be able to assist in the development of children through sport”.
All seven GAA clubs in the County will be given priority on pitch usage. The facility will be run by the management company already engaged in running Stepaside Public Golf Course which is immediately beside the new facility. The pitch is about 12 minutes by car from Cabinteely and is located beside DLS Palmerston RFC with the entrance to the pitch off the entrance to Stepaside Golf Course. For the non-golfers, travel up the Glenamuck Road to Palmers Pub and take a right turn, the Golf Course is on the right.
The dimensions of the pitch are the same as the all-weather pitch in Clontarf close to the DART station (136m x 80m). Dressing rooms will be added at a later date, but there are some limited showering facilities available in the club-house. The cost per hour for the pitch in winter is expected to be around €120.
