The National Sports Campus has been through a few different iterations of name and perception since it was first mooted as an idea but throughout it all it has kept developing , kept building partnerships and kept Government on side to deliver something that will undoubtedly be hailed as an overnight success in time, albeit one that has taken ten or more years in the making.
Isn’t that how all the best ones come about. From today it has one other subtle name change, becoming the Sport Ireland National Sports Campus as part of an overall rethinking and rebranding of the unified Sport Ireland idea. It also has one more new facility to add to those already in place and soon to be completed.
It is now home to Ireland’s National Cross Country Track. The facility was officially opened yesterday by Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Patrick O’Donovan.
The new facility was developed in consultation with Athletics Ireland to provide the first permanent national cross country track for both training and competition. The track will see its first action this Sunday, October 16th, with Athletics Ireland’s Autumn Open Cross Country Festival taking place at the Blanchardstown venue.
Milestone
“The opening of the National Cross Country Track marks another milestone in the development of the National Sports Campus and I would like to congratulate everyone involved with the development of this facility,” said O’Donovan.
“This new Track will benefit our elite athletes and will also have a positive impact in attracting major athletics events to Ireland. I hope that this new facility will encourage more people to get involved in cross country and I would invite anyone interested in running to visit the National Sports Campus and try out the Track for themselves.”
That invitation could be extended to anyone with an interest in sport. It is only when you see in person the scale of the development that has taken place that the real benefit of the Campus comes into focus.
The National Aquatic Centre is now faced by the GAA’s National Games development Centre and one of the best pitch collections in the country. The FAI is now fully based at the Campus with its Headquarters and pitches replicating those of the Aviva Stadium and using the latest pitch technology to house Republic of Ireland training and use by the sport in a wider context.
Rugby and Hockey will follow and join an existing Show Jumping Arena considered one of the finest in Europe, as well as facilities for diving, fencing, multi sports use and the offices of many of the National Governing Bodies of Sport.
Indoor Arena
Within the coming months the new National Indoor Arena will be a major addition as well as the Headquarters for Special Olympics Ireland. There is also a new Conference Centre adding to the sense that this really is a home for sport for the nation.
“The addition of the National Cross Country Track means the Sport Ireland National Sports Campus is fast becoming a hive of activity with both high-performance and recreational athletes utilising the excellent facilities here,” said Sport Ireland Chairman Kieran Mulvey.
“This will only increase in the months and years ahead as we look forward to the completion of more projects, the next major one being the Sport Ireland National Indoor Arena early next year.”
The main loop of the National Cross Country Track measures 1,500 metres, with separate start and finish straights and incorporates two additional loops of 500 metres and 700 metres to enable different course routes and distances through both grassland and wooded areas.
World Class
“Cross Country is very close to my heart and I am thrilled to see a world-class facility such as this developed in Ireland,” added Sport Ireland CEO John Treacy, twice a World Cross Country Champion himself.
“This state of the art course will afford Ireland’s athletes the opportunity to train and compete on home soil on a range of terrain. We have experienced international success in cross country in the past, and this development will no doubt help ensure continued success long into the future.”
Sport Ireland National Sports Campus Director, David Conway, said: “The lands to the front of Abbotstown House at the National Sports Campus lent themselves perfectly for the provision of a competitive national Cross Country track, the variety of landscape, topography and heritage features are beautifully harnessed to create a challenging and exciting course for both competitive and participation runners. ”
Athletics Ireland Chief Executive, John Foley, added: “It promises to be an exciting weekend with the unveiling of the purpose built cross country course at the National Sports Campus. I look forward to athletes of all ages and abilities taking part at the Autumn Open International on Sunday.”
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