Dr Hyde Park

Dr Hyde Park
Páirc de hÍde
Map
LocationAthlone Road, Roscommon, F42 AP82, Ireland
Coordinates53°37′30″N 8°10′51″W / 53.62500°N 8.18083°W / 53.62500; -8.18083
Public transitRoscommon railway station
Roscommon Hospital bus stop (Bus Éireann routes 440, 457)
OwnerRoscommon GAA
Capacity18,890
Capacity history
  • 33,612
    18,500 (2011–2015)
    20,000 (2015)[1]
    18,890[2]
Field size145 x 90 m
Construction
Opened1971
Construction cost1,100,000
Website
roscommongaels.ie/dr-hyde-park

Dr Hyde Park[3][4] (Páirc de hÍde in Irish) is a Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) stadium in Roscommon, Ireland. Built in 1969 and officially opened in 1971, it is the home of the Roscommon county football team, with Athleague being the traditional home for the Roscommon county hurling team. Named after Gaelic scholar and first President of Ireland, Douglas Hyde, the ground previously had a capacity of about 33,612, which was reduced to 18,500 after a nationwide inspection of facilities by the GAA in 2011.[5] Remedial works were planned to raise the capacity to 25,000.[6] At present, the capacity is 18,890 for matches in which there is no general admission, and 16,980 if seating is unreserved.[2] At the start of 2023, a refurbishment project began, which will see the ground's capacity increase to 25,000.[7]

Padraig Pearses team in Dr. Hyde Park for the 2021 Roscommon Senior Football Championship final

The ground has hosted numerous Connacht Senior Football Championship finals, both with and without Roscommon's participation. It hosted the 1994 Connacht Final in which Leitrim triumphed over Mayo to win their first title since 1927. Other memorable Connacht finals hosted on this ground include the match between Roscommon and Galway in 1998, Roscommon's last-minute victory over Mayo in 2001 and Sligo's triumph over Galway in 2007. Hyde Park also hosted the 1978,1987 All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship Finals and 1978 and 1981 All-Ireland Senior Ladies' Football Championship finals.

The ground was, until recently, also home to Roscommon Gaels GAA club who have moved to newly-developed grounds at Lisnamult. The grounds consist of four stands; one covered with seating and the other three open terraces. It is located beside the county hospital on the Athlone Road in Roscommon Town. It replaced the former home to Roscommon GAA, St Coman's Park, in 1969.

Roscommon invited Fr. Liam Devine to bless the new grass on the pitch at Dr Hyde Park in 2017.[8]

  1. ^ "Dr. Hyde Park to host Connacht finals". GAA. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Reduced ticket availability at Dr Hyde Park for Roscommon and Tyrone match". Irish Times. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  3. ^ "Positive news for roscommons dr hyde park". Westmeath Examiner. 3 March 2015.
  4. ^ "Roscommon defer London apartment draw due to Covid-19 crisis after raising €856k to date". The42.ie. 27 March 2020.
  5. ^ "Ticket frenzy expected as Dr Hyde Park chosen to host Connacht final". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  6. ^ "Ticket frenzy expected as Dr Hyde Park chosen to host Connacht final". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  7. ^ "ROSCOMMON GAA CLUBS APPROVE €4 MILLION DR. HYDE PARK REFURBISHMENT PROJECT". Roscommon Herald. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  8. ^ Cooney, Gavin (12 February 2017). "Goal Of The Weekend Was This Screamer By Roscommon's Conor Devaney". Archived from the original on 27 May 2019.