- UCD Bowl
Infobox_Stadium
stadium_name = UCD Bowl
nickname = |The Bowl
location =Dublin ,Ireland
broke_ground =
opened =
renovated =2007
closed =
demolished =
owner =University College Dublin
operator =
surface =Grass
100yds x 60yds
construction_cost =
architect =
former_names =
tenants =
UCD RFC (AIB League )UCD A.F.C. (FAI League of Ireland ),
seating_capacity =
3000The UCD Bowl is a football and
rugby union stadium in the Southeast of Dublin. It is the home ground ofUniversity College Dublin A.F.C. inFAI League of Ireland Premier Division andUniversity College Dublin RFC in the AIB All Ireland League. It has also hosted training sessions for the Ireland rugby team.With its redevelopment complete, it now has capacity for 3,000 people, including 1,500 seats. It is located to the North of the
Belfield campus beside the National hockey stadium, near the Sports Centre. There is a single stand on the Southern side of the stadium with uncovered standing room at each end. 860 seats in the stand are covered.Redevelopment
A substantial programme of improvements to the Bowl was started in 2007 after a decision was made to move the UCD football team from their home in
Belfield Park as the Bowl would not meet the requirements of UEFA licencing for theFAI League of Ireland . The redevelopment was confirmed in 2006 after a €1.25 million Sports Capital grant [ [http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=750 FAI.ie - FAI Welcomes €5 million Sports Capital Grants for eircom League Clubs and District Leagues ] ] was allocated to the work and objections to planning were overruled. The seated capacity increased from 860 to 1,500 and a hard surface laid to allow standing capacity around the pitch. Floodlights, improved fencing around the stadium and facilities for shops, toilets and turnstiles were also added. The work was finished in late 2007 in time for the 2008 Eircom League season. It is also planned to replace the current roof with acantilever structure in 2008 or 2009 which will cover all 1,500 seats. Eventually, the stadium is planned to have a capacity of 4,500 seats although there is no time scale laid out for this yet. [ [http://www.ucd.ie/campusdevelopment/plan/recreation_sports.html UCD Campus Development ] ]External links
* [http://www.ucdsoccer.com UCD AFC]
* [http://www.ucdrugby.com UCD Rugby]
* [http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v239/SchumiUCD/Bowl/ photos of the UCD Bowl]References
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