THE NATIONAL CAMPUS in Abbottstown recently became the new home of Ireland’s senior international football team, who left Gannon Park in Malahide back in August to train next to the FAI’s headquarters.
There is a lot more to it than that, however.
Back in 2012, the government announced plans to spend €19 million developing a National Sports Campus on the site of the ‘Bertie Bowl’, with four of the major sporting bodies — the FAI, the GAA, the IRFU and he Irish Hockey Association (IHA) — all on board.
This aerial video, recently recorded by a drone, shows how the site is taking shape.
As well as dozens of multi-sport synthetic and grass pitches, there is the National Aquatic Centre, the Irish Institute of Sport Performance Training Centre, stables and the National Horse Sport Area, the National Diving Training Centre and modern pentathlon facilities.
On top of that, the National Indoor Arena, which will include an indoor athletics track, indoor sports centre and a gym, is currently under construction.
