Bohemian FC have confirmed agreements with the RDS and Tolka Rovers that will provide temporary homes for both senior teams when the club vacates Dalymount Park at the end of May 2027, ahead of its redevelopment by Dublin City Council.
The arrangements will include several high-profile Men’s Premier Division fixtures staged at the newly refurbished Laya Arena at the RDS, while the club’s Women’s Premier Division home matches will move to Frank Cooke Park on Griffith Avenue.
Both arrangements remain subject to FAI approval through the Club Licensing process for next season.
The announcement represents an important step in planning for the club’s temporary departure from Dalymount, where the demolition of the Tramway End and removal of two of the stadium’s famous floodlights have brought the redevelopment project into sharper focus.
Bohemian FC President Matt Devaney said the club was entering an exciting period after a long journey towards transforming its historic home.
“It’s been a long journey getting to this point, but with the demolition of the Tramway End over the past number of weeks and removal of two of the famous old lights, we are now well and truly in the final leg of our time in the ‘old’ Dalymount,” he said.
RDS Move Offers Opportunity to Grow Attendances
The agreement with the RDS is particularly important commercially.
Bohemians have consistently sold out home fixtures at Dalymount in recent seasons, but the stadium’s capacity has limited opportunities to meet existing demand and attract new supporters.
The redeveloped RDS offers a capacity of more than 20,000, potentially transforming the scale of selected League of Ireland matchdays.
“Hosting games at the RDS is a massive positive for the club and a great opportunity for us,” Devaney said.
“Because of the capacity constraints at Dalymount and our home games being consistently sold out in recent years, we have been turning supporters and potential new fans away.”
He added that the refurbished stadium would provide an opportunity to deliver a different experience for some of the club’s highest-profile fixtures.
The move creates scope for increased ticket sales, larger travelling support, enhanced corporate hospitality and expanded sponsorship activation.
It also provides an opportunity to introduce League of Ireland football to new audiences in a modern stadium environment.
The club has not yet confirmed which fixtures will be staged at the RDS, with negotiations continuing over a primary temporary home at another League of Ireland stadium.
Frank Cooke Park to Provide Continuity for Women’s Team
The agreement with Tolka Rovers is equally important in protecting the progress made by Bohemians’ women’s team.
According to the club, its Women’s Premier Division side has recorded the highest average home attendance in the league, with Dalymount providing an established base for supporters.
Frank Cooke Park, less than two miles from Dalymount, offers a convenient alternative within an area of strong existing Bohemians support.
Devaney described the venue as having a first-class pitch and clubhouse, with a spectator capacity suited to the women’s team’s current requirements.
“Our priority in finding an appropriate venue for our Women’s Premier Division games was to try and consolidate that and hopefully build on it further,” he said.
The move will allow Bohemians to maintain a local connection while seeking to grow attendances during the redevelopment period.
The club intends to hold an information meeting with members once the outstanding stadium agreements have been finalised.
Sport for Business Perspective
The RDS agreement creates a commercial opportunity that goes beyond the immediate challenge of finding an alternative venue.
For a club that has regularly reached Dalymount’s attendance capacity, access to a stadium that can accommodate more than 20,000 spectators offers an opportunity to test demand for major League of Ireland fixtures.
It could offer valuable evidence for future ticketing strategies, corporate hospitality, sponsorship partnerships and supporter acquisition as Bohs prepare for their redeveloped home.
The women’s team arrangement is also important. By securing a venue close to Dalymount, the club is seeking to protect the supporter relationships and attendance growth it has already established.
The wider project highlights the complexities of redeveloping historic sporting infrastructure while maintaining competitive and commercial operations.
It is a flagship public sporting infrastructure project for Dublin City Council and the Government’s Large Scale Sporting Infrastructure funding. It is also an important next stage of development for the League of Ireland.
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Image Credit: Bohemian FC
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