Thurles Information

Semple Stadium (Semple’s Field) here in Thurles, Co Tipperary, has been granted permission to undertake a €8-9million euro face lift on its Kinane Stand, known as the “Old Stand”.

The Kinane Stand, which affords space for 14,500 spectators currently, is expected to retain the same capacity, on its full project completion. Planning permission granted is for five years, with the project expected to be long-term.

This 45,000 capacity Semple Stadium project, foresees the inclusion of improved player and match-day facilities, with a new gym, physio, dressing rooms and media facilities.

Planning permission has already been granted for the re-development of an extra tier, which will provide an area for corporate hospitality and function facilities.

These planned new improvements are designed to take Semple Stadium up to the standard of other state of the art GAA venues, e.g. Dublin’s Croke Park and the recently re-developed Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Ballytemple, Cork.

However, commencement of this, to be welcomed, project is unlikely to take place until the end of 2020 at the earliest, due to the present Coronavirus crisis and pandemic.

Thurles GAA museum, “Lár na Páirce”

Will this new promising venture see the Thurles GAA museum, Lár na Páirce, now move from its current restricted space on Slievenamon Road, to this more open and spacious area, offering free accessible parking?

One would hope so, thus offering sports loving tourists and those attending games, an equal opportunity to view our rare GAA history, while also walking on that hallowed turf which is after all “Semple’s Field”.