National Forum

GAA County - Centres Of Excellence

(Oldest Posts First)

I visited the Sports Ireland GAA Centre of Excellence in Abbotstown recently and it got me thinking - what facilities do each county have.

I know Dublin have 2 sites - 1 in Hollystown and 1 site in Spawell. Neither developed yet though.

Meath now have 6 pitches and a full size Astro Pitch, with a gym, changing rooms and meeting rooms etc.

What do other counties have currently or plan to have.?

Tyrone, Mayo, Kerry apparently have excellent COE facilities.

Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 4448 - 08/07/2025 14:21:06    2624390

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Replying To Fionn:  "I visited the Sports Ireland GAA Centre of Excellence in Abbotstown recently and it got me thinking - what facilities do each county have.

I know Dublin have 2 sites - 1 in Hollystown and 1 site in Spawell. Neither developed yet though.

Meath now have 6 pitches and a full size Astro Pitch, with a gym, changing rooms and meeting rooms etc.

What do other counties have currently or plan to have.?

Tyrone, Mayo, Kerry apparently have excellent COE facilities."
Louth, Sligo, Kildare and Leitrim have ones.

Seanfanbocht (Roscommon) - Posts: 2522 - 08/07/2025 15:51:17    2624417

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Replying To Seanfanbocht:  "Louth, Sligo, Kildare and Leitrim have ones."
I have been to Darver - think they have 4 pitches.??

Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 4448 - 08/07/2025 16:44:26    2624432

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Kerry is probably the best I've been to, in terms of the building itself anyway. A circular, almost space-age structure, with a massive cinema-style room for video analysis and all sorts of other meeting rooms etc as well. Even a touch like the external doors from each dressing room directly facing the corresponding pitch sets it apart from others.

Here in Wexford, we're fairly proud of what we've got - seven pitches right now (four of them floodlit), with plans to convert one of them to 4G as soon as the finances allow it. Only thing that lets us down is the building itself, which has been there from the start (ten years now). It's got a big gym and meeting room upstairs all right, along with another couple of ancillary rooms, but it's only got four dressing rooms downstairs - and that's clearly not enough when you've got seven pitches.

Plans in place too to build a major extension to the complex, but not sure when work is expected to start. Probably depends on the money too!

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2969 - 08/07/2025 17:11:12    2624441

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Replying To Seanfanbocht:  "Louth, Sligo, Kildare and Leitrim have ones."
We have one. Not that it is showing much improvement yet. But green shoots - if you use a magnifying glass

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1728 - 08/07/2025 17:25:31    2624444

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Wexford have a really good one outside Ferns. On the main N11. Beautiful facility to their credit.

ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1425 - 08/07/2025 17:49:22    2624454

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Carlow have 3 excellent pitches, all floodlit with pathways etc around each and metal fencing etc. Space for future development of a 4th pitch as well but currently let as farmland. Changing rooms and shop etc are all modular but it is a neat and well kept set up.

Interestingly it's not called a Centre of Excellence - it's the Netwatch Training Centre. Maybe we don't strive for excellence!

Onion Breath (Carlow) - Posts: 1609 - 08/07/2025 18:18:36    2624464

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Replying To Fionn:  "I visited the Sports Ireland GAA Centre of Excellence in Abbotstown recently and it got me thinking - what facilities do each county have.

I know Dublin have 2 sites - 1 in Hollystown and 1 site in Spawell. Neither developed yet though.

Meath now have 6 pitches and a full size Astro Pitch, with a gym, changing rooms and meeting rooms etc.

What do other counties have currently or plan to have.?

Tyrone, Mayo, Kerry apparently have excellent COE facilities."
Mayo don't have one yet... it's being built on land at Bohola. The one you're thinking about is the Connacht CoE at Bekan. Longford & Roscommon have plans to build as have Cavan. Fermanagh & Monaghan have CoE's. The Monaghan one is along the N2 and I think has 3/4 pitches.

Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 1423 - 08/07/2025 18:36:01    2624466

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "Kerry is probably the best I've been to, in terms of the building itself anyway. A circular, almost space-age structure, with a massive cinema-style room for video analysis and all sorts of other meeting rooms etc as well. Even a touch like the external doors from each dressing room directly facing the corresponding pitch sets it apart from others.

Here in Wexford, we're fairly proud of what we've got - seven pitches right now (four of them floodlit), with plans to convert one of them to 4G as soon as the finances allow it. Only thing that lets us down is the building itself, which has been there from the start (ten years now). It's got a big gym and meeting room upstairs all right, along with another couple of ancillary rooms, but it's only got four dressing rooms downstairs - and that's clearly not enough when you've got seven pitches.

Plans in place too to build a major extension to the complex, but not sure when work is expected to start. Probably depends on the money too!"
Think the majority of the money is in place now. Some work starting this winter.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 16513 - 08/07/2025 18:45:47    2624471

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Replying To Fionn:  "I have been to Darver - think they have 4 pitches.??"
5 and 1 astro

Lúla571210 (Louth) - Posts: 134 - 08/07/2025 19:46:58    2624480

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Replying To Onion Breath:  "Carlow have 3 excellent pitches, all floodlit with pathways etc around each and metal fencing etc. Space for future development of a 4th pitch as well but currently let as farmland. Changing rooms and shop etc are all modular but it is a neat and well kept set up.

Interestingly it's not called a Centre of Excellence - it's the Netwatch Training Centre. Maybe we don't strive for excellence!"
I have to give ye credit for originality at least. I'd love to know which was the first county to call their training ground a "Centre of Excellence" and why nearly every county decided that this was the only acceptable name for their facility.

CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1690 - 08/07/2025 20:22:26    2624491

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Abbotstown is nothing special compared to some of the centres out there to be fair, pitch quality can be quite poor at times which for a national centre isn't great.

Tyrone and Kerry are very aesthetically pleasing and modern. Louth's setup in Darver is impressive - good indoor facilities and all 6 pitches floodlit too, only issue is getting out of the carpark if there's a big crowd - same as Hawkfield in Newbridge though.

Offaly's centre outside Kilcormac is good too along with Meath's in Dunganny.

Owenbeg for Derry would be the standout for me though, fantastic facilities and good pitch quality too.

As with any centre it's the quality of coaching going on that matters.

if_in_doubt (Kildare) - Posts: 3692 - 08/07/2025 21:18:44    2624498

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "Kerry is probably the best I've been to, in terms of the building itself anyway. A circular, almost space-age structure, with a massive cinema-style room for video analysis and all sorts of other meeting rooms etc as well. Even a touch like the external doors from each dressing room directly facing the corresponding pitch sets it apart from others.

Here in Wexford, we're fairly proud of what we've got - seven pitches right now (four of them floodlit), with plans to convert one of them to 4G as soon as the finances allow it. Only thing that lets us down is the building itself, which has been there from the start (ten years now). It's got a big gym and meeting room upstairs all right, along with another couple of ancillary rooms, but it's only got four dressing rooms downstairs - and that's clearly not enough when you've got seven pitches.

Plans in place too to build a major extension to the complex, but not sure when work is expected to start. Probably depends on the money too!"
Tyrone's is the most impressive I've seen, funnily enough also done with a circular structure. Serious set up.

It's amazing that as good as Abbotstown is the dressing rooms are relatively tiny.

tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1529 - 08/07/2025 21:22:00    2624499

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Replying To Lúla571210:  "5 and 1 astro"
Pretty sure the astro pitch can't be used anymore. It's needs replaced

It wasn't in great shape and a few years back, they used it as a car park for when Championship Games were in Darver which finished it off

It's still remarkable they play club championship games (Intermediate final replay being the last on) in Darver

For anyone with mobility issues it's horrendous, and considering Haggardstown, Castlebellingham and Ardee are all a few mins away from it and ideal for club games it always amazes me when games are there. Players hate it too

DundalkGael (Louth) - Posts: 956 - 08/07/2025 23:08:48    2624518

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Replying To Fionn:  "I visited the Sports Ireland GAA Centre of Excellence in Abbotstown recently and it got me thinking - what facilities do each county have.

I know Dublin have 2 sites - 1 in Hollystown and 1 site in Spawell. Neither developed yet though.

Meath now have 6 pitches and a full size Astro Pitch, with a gym, changing rooms and meeting rooms etc.

What do other counties have currently or plan to have.?

Tyrone, Mayo, Kerry apparently have excellent COE facilities."
Tyrone's is top of range as is Kerry but newer. Only one in Mayo is the Connacht GAA owned one while they are looking to build one of their own. Leitrim,Sligo have centre but don't seem overly pleased by facilities. Louth and Offaly have good ones Kildare also.

Gaa_lover (USA) - Posts: 3708 - 09/07/2025 03:25:28    2624532

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Replying To tearintom:  "Tyrone's is the most impressive I've seen, funnily enough also done with a circular structure. Serious set up.

It's amazing that as good as Abbotstown is the dressing rooms are relatively tiny."
I never saw inside the dressing rooms but it looks a small enough building to fit 10 dressing rooms and meeting rooms inside.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8158 - 09/07/2025 09:15:12    2624551

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