Donnybrook Stadium

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Donnybrook Stadium
Energia Park
Newly Completed Stand, Leinster Rugby Ground Donnybrook.jpg
The new grandstand, shortly after completion, in February 2008
Dublin map.png
Red pog.svg
Donnybrook Stadium
Location within Dublin
Location Donnybrook, Dublin
Coordinates 53°19′15.00″N6°14′00.00″W / 53.3208333°N 6.2333333°W / 53.3208333; -6.2333333
Owner Irish Rugby Football Union
Capacity 6,000 [1]
Surface Synthetic grass [2]
Construction
Opened1964
Renovated2008
Tenants
Bective Rangers RFC, Old Wesley RFC, Ireland Women (2016–present) [2] [3]
Ireland national U20 rugby (2015–2018)
Ireland A rugby (1993–2005)
Leinster A
Leinster (1964–2007)

Donnybrook Stadium, known for sponsorship reasons as Energia Park, is a rugby union stadium in Donnybrook, Dublin 4, Ireland. The stadium has a capacity of 6,000, [3] including a 2,500 seat covered grandstand which was completed in early 2008. [1] [4]

Contents

History

The stadium, also sometimes known as Donnybrook Rugby Ground, [5] is located on the former fair green used for the Donnybrook Fair until the mid-1850s. [6] Used for games by Bective Rangers and Old Wesley since at least the early 20th century, [7] [8] the ground was also the home stadium of Leinster Rugby - until they moved competitive games to the nearby RDS Arena in 2007. [9]

In March 2018 Energia began a sponsorship deal, to rename the stadium as Energia Park for 10 years. [10] [11]

Rugby union

Primarily used for rugby union, Old Wesley and Bective Rangers are two local clubs who play their home games in Donnybrook. [3]

Leinster Rugby also still play some friendly games in Donnybrook, with Ireland A, Ireland Women's Team and Leinster underage sides playing home games in the stadium. [12] [13] Between 2015 and 2018, it hosted the Ireland under-20s home matches in the Six Nations Under 20s Championship. [9] Since 2016, it has hosted the Ireland women's team's home matches in the Women's Six Nations Championship. [9] [14]

The stadium is also the principal venue for competitions organised by the Leinster Branch and competitions at all levels from under 13 to junior and senior adult level are played at the ground. This includes games in the Leinster Schools Senior and Junior Cups, and it hosts several games in each competition each year. [15]

Ireland Uncapped International Matches
DateHomeScoreOpponentCompetitionAttendance
19 March 1993IRFU flag.svg  Ireland A 18–22Flag of England.svg  England A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
4 February 1994IRFU flag.svg  Ireland A 10–20Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
20 January 1995IRFU flag.svg  Ireland A 20–21Flag of England.svg  England A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
19 January 1996IRFU flag.svg  Ireland A 26–19Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
1 March 1996IRFU flag.svg  Ireland A 25–11Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
13 November 1996IRFU flag.svg  Ireland A 28–25Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa A South Africa A tour of Great Britain and Ireland
17 January 1997IRFU flag.svg  Ireland A 23–44Flag of France.svg  France A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
14 February 1997IRFU flag.svg  Ireland A 30–44Flag of England.svg  England A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
6 February 1998IRFU flag.svg  Ireland A 9–11Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
5 February 1999IRFU flag.svg  Ireland A 26–25Flag of France.svg  France A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
5 March 1999IRFU flag.svg  Ireland A 21–28Flag of England.svg  England A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship
9 April 1999IRFU flag.svg  Ireland A 73–17Flag of Italy.svg  Italy A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship [16]
18 February 2000IRFU flag.svg  Ireland A 23–21Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship [17]
3 March 2000IRFU flag.svg  Ireland A 31–3Flag of Italy.svg  Italy A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship [18]
31 March 2000IRFU flag.svg  Ireland A 28–26Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship [19] [20]
8 November 2001IRFU flag.svg  Ireland A 23–18Flag of Samoa.svg  Samoa 2001 Samoa tour of Europe [21]
22 March 2002IRFU flag.svg  Ireland A 59–5Flag of Italy.svg  Italy A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship [22]
28 March 2003IRFU flag.svg  Ireland A 24–21Flag of England.svg  England A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship6,000 [23] [24]
11 March 2005IRFU flag.svg  Ireland A 15–9Flag of France.svg  France A Six Nations "A" Rugby Championship [25]
Up to date as of 19 November 2022. [26]
Leinster Results versus Representative Sides
DateHomeScoreOpponentCompetitionAttendance
30 December 1979 Flag of Leinster.svg Leinster 26–10Flag of Italy.svg  Italy [27]
8 October 1980 Flag of Leinster.svg Leinster 24–10Flag of Romania.svg  Romania [28]
12 November 1994 Flag of Leinster.svg Leinster 9–6Flag of the United States.svg  United States 1994 United States rugby union tour of Ireland [29]
24 August 1999 Flag of Leinster.svg Leinster 22–51Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina [30]
18 November 2022 Flag of Leinster.svg Leinster 40–3Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 2022 end-of-year internationals [31]
Up to date as of 19 November 2022.

Other uses

In August 2012 the stadium played host to two US high school American football teams, Jesuit Dallas and Loyola Academy of Wilmette, Illinois. Jesuit defeated Loyola 30–29 with a last minute game-winning field goal. [32]

The stadium has also hosted music events. For example, it hosted a Michael Bublé concert in July 2008, [33] and gigs headlined by The National and Future Islands in June 2018. [34] [11]

References

  1. 1 2 "Venue - Donnybrook Stadium - Dublin". TheList. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  2. 1 2 "New Donnybrook Pitches Are Officially Opened". Irishrugby.ie. 12 November 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 "Worldstadia - Dublin - Donnybrook Stadium". Worldstadia.com. Archived from the original on 2 February 2009.
  4. ↑ "Donnybrook is now to be known as Energia Park". Irish Times. 21 March 2018. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  5. ↑ "Donnybrook Rugby Ground To Be Redeveloped". RTÉ News. 21 September 2005. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  6. ↑ "Donnybrook: A History by Dr. Beatrice Doran". The History Press. 2013 – via donnybrookparish.ie.
  7. ↑ "Proud of their history but looking to the future. Club Focus: Bective Rangers". Independent News & Media. 6 January 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2018. [Bective Rangers] club moved to their current home in Donnybrook sometime around 1910
  8. ↑ "Old Wesley - History - 1901–1930". Oldwesley.ie. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  9. 1 2 3 "Energia Park". Energia Park. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  10. ↑ "Welcome to Energia Park". Energia.ie. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  11. 1 2 "Donnybrook Stadium becomes Energia Park as Leinster agree 10-year naming rights partnership". Independent News & Media. 21 March 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  12. ↑ "Ireland Women's Team To Face Italy at Donnybrook Announced". Leinster Rugby. 7 February 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2018. Ireland Women's team [are] to take on their Italian counterparts on Sunday, 11th February, at Donnybrook Stadium for their first home game of the 2018 Women's 6 Nations
  13. ↑ "England Women outclass Ireland in Donnybrook". rte.ie. RTÉ. 1 February 2019. Retrieved 9 February 2019. Ireland were second best against a dominant England side as the visitors scored eight tries in a 51-7 win at Donnybrook Stadium in the Women's Six Nations
  14. ↑ "Donnybrook is now to be known as Energia Park". Irish Times. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  15. ↑ "Leinster Schools Cup Draws". Leinster Rugby. 11 December 2006. Archived from the original on 18 March 2009.
  16. ↑ "Team History Archive". Irish Rugby. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  17. ↑ "Ireland v Scotland - Six Nations A Rugby Championship". Sportsfile. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  18. ↑ "Ireland's late salvo sinks stubborn Italians". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  19. ↑ "Farrell's majestic play lands the crown". Irish Times. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  20. ↑ "Ireland v Wales - Six Nations A Rugby Championship". Sportsfile. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  21. ↑ "Irish Development XV beat Samoa". RTE. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  22. ↑ "Rugby: Ireland A defeat Italy by 54 pts". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  23. ↑ "Dramatic Finish at Donnybrook". Munster Rugby. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  24. ↑ "McHugh kicks England into touch A International". Irish Times. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  25. ↑ "Possibles make a strong case for stepping up a level". Irish Times. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  26. ↑ "Team History Archive". Irish Rugby. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  27. ↑ "Leinster v Italy". Imgur. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  28. ↑ "1980 Romania Tour of Ireland". World Rugby. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  29. ↑ "Leinster versus USA". Imgur. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  30. ↑ "ALL FIXTURES & RESULTS". Leinster rugby. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  31. ↑ "Leinster run in six tries in convincing friendly victory over World Cup-bound Chile". Irish Times. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  32. ↑ "Loyola falls to Dallas Jesuit in Dublin". Chicago Tribune. 31 August 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
  33. ↑ "Entertainment - Music - Pop". independent.ie. Independent News & Media. 18 July 2013. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  34. ↑ "The National at Donnybrook stadium: Everything you need to know". Irish Times. 13 June 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2018.


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